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BV  1520  .F47  1916 
Fergusson,  Edmund  Morris, 

1864-1934. 
How  to  run  a  little  Sunday 

school 


How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 


How  to  Run  a  Little 
Sunday  School 


c^^ 


E.  MORRIS  FERGUSSON 


'•"      »   '•Uiij% 


....,y^ 


APPf^  1918 


New    York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming      H.      Revell      Company 

London  and  Edinburgh 


Copyright,  1916,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  17  North  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London :  2 1  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:       100    Princes    Street 


Preface 

The  worker  in  the  little  ueighborhood  Sunday 
school,  ambitious,  earnest,  perplexed  with  many  dif- 
ficulties, ought  to  have  a  book  on  Sunday-school 
method  all  his  own.  In  point  of  fact  he  needs  a 
whole  literature.  It  was  necessary  that  modern 
methods  in  general  and  grading  in  particular  should 
be  worked  out  first  with  refercjice  to  conditions  in  the 
large  and  well  appointed  Sunday  schools.  This  hav- 
ing been  done,  the  time  is  ripe  for  an  independent 
literature  of  the  little  Sunday  school,  in  which  its 
principles  of  operation,  its  strategic  factors  and  its 
most  effective  modes  of  work  shall  be  studied  directly, 
and  not  merely  by  parenthetical  chapters  and  para- 
graphs. To  such  a  literature  this  book  is  a  modest 
and  at  present  a  rather  lonesome  contribution. 

The  size  of  the  little  school  interest  in  America  is 
worth  considering.  In  the  great  states  of  the  plains 
and  in  part  of  the  South  the  Sunday  school  of  fifty 
members  is  the  prevailing  type.  The  International 
Suuday-School  Association's  statistics  seem  to  indi- 
cate that  half  the  Sunday-school  population  of  the 
United  States  is  enrolled  in  Sunday  schools  of  sixty- 
five  members  or  less.  Even  in  populous  New  Jersey, 
with  the  highest  average  membership  of  any  state, 
the  schools  of  fifty  or  fewer  enroll  five  per  cent,  of  the 
total  Sunday-school  membership.  For  Canada  the 
proportion  is  even  more  impressive.     There  is  noth- 

5 


6  Preface 

ing  little  about  the  little  Sunday  school,  when  con- 
sidered as  a  constituency  standing  for  its  rights. 

When  we  realize,  moreover,  what  our  countiy  and 
the  world  owe  to  these  same  little  Sunday  schools, 
and  what  our  city  churches  have  received  from  them 
in  well  started  religious  life,  is  it  not  our  common 
shame  that  the  call  of  the  little  Sunday  school  for 
adequate  educational  leadership  should  for  so  long 
have  gone  practically  unheeded  ? 

As  General  Secretary  of  the  New  Jersey  Sunday- 
school  Association,  and  later  as  Educational  Super- 
intendent of  Sabbath-school  Missions  for  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  the  writer  has  come  into  close  contact 
with  conditions  and  needs  in  the  work  for  little  Sun- 
day schools  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States.  While 
realizing  the  inherent  difficulties  of  the  typical  little- 
school  situation,  he  nevertheless  believes  that  the  best 
and  highest  in  modern  Sunday-school  method  belongs 
of  right  to  this  work,  and  that  the  workers  in  these 
fields  are  themselves  competent  to  introduce  it  and 
lead  it  to  a  successful  issue. 

This  book,  therefore,  is  written  for  the  man  or 
woman  in  the  little  Sunday  school,  to  show  how  such 
a  school  may  lift  itself  out  of  the  ruts  of  custom  and 
tradition,  gain  the  vision  of  a  better  day,  and  tak(^  its 
rightful  place  among  the  progressive,  graded,  efficient 
and  spiritually  successful  Sunday  schools  of  its  field. 

Thanks  are  due  Miss  Martha  E.  Eobisou,  Snperin- 
t(Mident  of  Eural  Work  of  the  Pennsylvania  State 
Sabbath -School  Association,  for  a  number  of  valuable 
criticisms  and  suggestions,  which  have  been  embodied 
in  the  proofs. 


Contents 

I.  What  It  Needs 9 

General  Needs — Members — Organization 
— Teachers  —  Housing  —  Equipment — 
Relations — Support. 

II.  Making  a  Start 26 

The  Simple  Start— The  Educational  Start 
— Remaking  an  Old  School — Insuring 
Permanence — What  to  Teach — Educa- 
tional Lessons — The  New  Plan  at  Work. 

III.  Increased  Attendance  ....       42 

A  Laudable  Ambition  —  Retention  and 
Graduation — Dangers  in  Numbers — Re- 
wards, Wise  and  Otherwise  —  New 
Classes — A  Table  of  Growth — Winning 
New  Pupils — Gospel  Salesmanship — 
The  Extension  Departments. 

IV.  Running  by  the  Week  ....       63 

The  Superintendent  a  Teacher  —  The 
Weekly  Routine — Notes  on  a  Rural 
Program — Class  Instruction — Desk  In- 
struction—Official Routine — The  Wor- 
shiping Sunday  School. 

V.  Running  by  the  Quarter     ...       81 

The  Sunday-School  Calendar — Planning 
the  Desk  Work — Replanning  the  Class 
Work — Appraising  the  Term's  Work 
— Records  and  Recognitions — An  Edu- 
cational Festival. 

7 


8  Contents 

VI.  Running  by  the  Year  ...       97 

An  Educational  Perspective — Reorganizing 
for  the  New  Year — Two  Plans  of  Class 
Formation — The  Course  of  Study — Ob- 
serving Promotion  Day — Present  and 
Future  Teachers — The  Official  Staff — 
The  School's  Finances — The  Workers' 
Conference. 

VII.  Getting  Results  .....     114 

Reasonable  Expectations — A  Table  of  Re- 
sults —  Overcoming  Difficulties  —  The 
Securing  of  Life-Decisions. 


WHAT  IT  NEEDS 

General  Needs.— Whoever  has  to  do  with  the 
leading  of  a  Sunday  school,  in  a  neighborhood  where 
workers  are  few  and  difficulties  many,  will  have  to 
give  careful  consideration  to  the  question  of  what  his 
Sunday  school  needs. 

Some  needs,  while  undoubtedly  great,  are  so  gen- 
eral as  to  call  for  little  comment.  They  speak  for 
themselves.  The  Sanday  school  needs  first  of  all  a 
competent  leader.  Perhaps  the  superintendent  feels 
that  that  need,  at  any  rate,  is  now  well  supplied. 
Perhaps  he  feels  that  a  great  mistake  has  been  made 
in  choosing  him,  and  that  some  one  far  more  compe- 
tent than  he  ought  to  be  found  and  installed  as  his 
successor.  If  this  last  is  his  feeling,  there  is  much 
hope  for  the  school.  He  should  however  hold  his 
place  until  the  ideal  successor  appears,  and  meantime 
do  his  best  and  learn  how  to  do  better. 

Devoted  workers  are  needed  to  stand  by  the  leader 
and  help  him  in  carrying  out  his  plans.  Well  adapted 
supplies  are  needed,  including  some  helps  not  now 
on  the  market  in  form  suited  to  the  needs  of  such  a 
school  as  we  are  about  to  study.  God's  gracious 
power  is  needed,  with  a  constant  sense  of  dependence 
on  Him  and  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  love  for  souls. 
The  school  must  realize  its  need  of  these  things.  We 
may  say  indeed  that  humility,  a  sense  of  need  for 
help,  human  and  divine,  is  the  greatest  need  of  all. 

9 


lo      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Leaviug  for  the  time  these  general  needs,  what  are 
some  of  those  specific  needs  of  the  little  Sunday  school 
which  effort  might  conceivably  supply?  The  term 
'^  little"  is  of  course  relative.  A  school  of  fifty  mem- 
bers is  little  in  comparison  with  the  average  Sunday 
school  of  the  city,  about  which  nearly  all  the  books 
on  Sunday-school  work  are  written.  It  is  larger, 
however,  than  the  average  Sunday  school  in  some 
states  of  the  Union.  What  are  some  of  the  needs  of 
such  a  school  1 

Members. — To  begin  with,  there  must  be  enough 
persons,  big  and  little,  to  form  an  organized  com- 
pany. Nine  people,  for  instance,  could  make  a  Sun- 
day school,  with  three  in  a  younger  class,  four  in  an 
older  class,  and  two  teachers,  one  of  them  acting  as 
superintendent.  A  Sunday  school  of  eleven,  with  an 
average  attendance  of  nine,  ran  for  several  years  in 
Ocean  County,  New  Jersey  ;  and  there  are  doubtless 
hundreds  as  small  or  smaller  the  country  over. 

Larger  numbers  than  that,  however,  are  required 
for  a  properly  organized  Sunday  school.  The  school 
of  thirty  members,  or  twenty,  or  even  ten,  need  not 
feel  discouraged  ;  but  fifty  is  the  membership  required 
for  a  really  satisfactory  educational  organization. 
With  two  officers,  five  teachers  and  forty-three  pu 
pils,  a  Sunday  school  in  the  rural  districts  may  con- 
sider itself  ready  for  thorough  and  up-to-date  work. 

Let  us  take  these  numbers  as  the  standard  of  mem- 
bership for  the  typical  little  Sunday  school.  Such  a 
school,  of  course,  will  try  to  grow  as  much  larger  as 
it  can,  by  organizing  new  classes  and  increasing  the 
size  of  those  it  has.  But,  for  the  purposes  of  our 
study,  we  will  think  of  a  Sunday  school  as  composed 


What  It  Needs  1 1 

of  fiv^e  classes  and  fifty  members  all  told.  We  will 
keep  ill  miud  these  five  classes,  eveu  if  our  own 
school  has  but  four,  or  three,  or  even  two  :  the  others 
will  in  such  case  represent  vacancies  not  yet  filled. 

Organization. — How  shall  this  force  be  organized  1 

First,  of  course,  we  will  have  a  primary  class. 
*' Infant  class,"  our  grandfathers  called  it;  but  an 
iufaut  is  one  who  canuot  talk,  and  such  a  name  is  a 
base  slander  as  applied  to  these  youngsters.  As 
soon  as  possible  the  primary  teacher  should  have  an 
assistant  to  care  for  the  beginners  during  the  lesson 
story  period.  The  primary  class  should  take  in  all 
the  younger  children  up  to  and  including  eight  years 
of  age. 

Secondly,  a  junior  class.  Here  belong  the  boys 
and  girls  from  nine  to  twelve,  the  finest  bunch  of  hu- 
manity in  the  whole  school,  the  best  workers,  the 
quickest  learners,  the  most  willing  to  learn  new  hab- 
its, the  readiest  to  love  and  follow  Jesus  as  their  Lord. 
They  should  never  on  any  account  be  mixed  with  the 
older  ones  above  or  with  the  little  ones  below  ;  and 
they  should  never  lose  a  single  Sunday's  lesson. 

Thirdly,  an  intermediate  class,  thirteen  to  sixteen 
or  so.  This  is  usually  the  hardest  class  in  the  school 
to  handle  successfully ;  but  it  is  also  the  class  from 
which  can  be  secured  the  most  remarkable  results. 
This  class  should  be  organized  and  given  some 
special  work  to  do.  Its  president  and  secretary 
should  be  real  helpers  to  the  teacher,  as  well  as  lead- 
ers of  the  class  in  good  works. 

Fourthly,  a  senior  or  young  people's  class  of  young 
men  and  women.  The  ages  may  run  from  sixteen  to 
twenty -three  or  four.     This  class  also  should  be  or- 


12      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

ganized,  with  a  full  set  of  officers  and  committees, 
and  a  definite  program  of  work. 

Lastly,  an  adult  class,  the  men  and  women  of  the 
Sunday  school.  Their  membership  will  mostly  be  of 
married  people,  and  their  average  attendance  will  be 
low,  for  they  are  full  of  cares  and  cannot  command 
their  own  time  every  Sunday.  But  their  roll  should 
be  carefully  kept  just  the  same.  Their  education  in 
religion  is  quite  as  important  as  that  of  any  of  the 
younger  ones.  Keep  the  seniors  and  the  adults  care- 
fully distinguished. 

With  a  teacher  for  each  of  these  five  classes,  a  sec- 
retary to  look  after  records,  purchases  and  details, 
and  a  superintendent  in  charge  of  the  wliole,  and 
with  forty-three  pupils  distributed  among  the  five 
classes,  the  necessary  organization  of  our  Sunday 
school  of  fifty  members  is  complete. 

Suppose  it  happens  that  we  are  so  weak  on  some 
one  of  these  groups  that  if  we  were  to  divide  this 
way  the  junior  class  would  be  large  and  the  inter- 
mediate very  small,  or  the  intermediate  large  and  the 
senior  small :  what  then  ?  Keep  the  class  lines  firm 
as  to  age,  notwithstanding.  Perha]3S  one  or  two  of 
the  oldest  and  brightest  in  the  class  below  may  be  al- 
lowed to  come  over  to  the  upper  class,  if  needed  to 
make  up  a  company.  But  remember  that  it  is  lessons, 
not  looks,  that  count,  and  that  all  such  inequalities 
will  correct  themselves  before  long,  as  promotions 
take  place  and  newcomers  enter. 

Teachers. — A  Sunday  school  is  a  school.  It  may 
and  should  serve  other  useful  purposes  ;  but  unless  it 
is  a  real  school  it  is  not  worthy  of  its  honored  name. 
Hence    the  five  leaders  of  these   classes  must   not 


What  It  Needs  13 

merely  be  teachers,  so-called.  Each  of  them  must  be 
able  to  teach  the  particular  class  he  has  by  causing 
its  members  to  do,  to  know,  to  be  and  to  love  along 
the  lines  of  activity,  knowledge,  character,  and 
heart-power  appropriate  to  their  years.  There  is  no 
other  possible  way  of  making  the  Sunday  school  a 
school  than  to  get,  improve  and  keep  a  set  of  teachers 
for  these  classes.  As  it  is  seldom  that  such  teachers 
can  be  found  in  the  community  and  put  to  work  just 
as  they  are,  the  school  must  plan  to  train  them.  But 
that  is  another  story. 

Even  this,  however,  is  not  all.  The  superintend- 
ent must  be  a  teacher  too.  There  are  so  many  ways 
of  not  making  a  Sunday  school  a  school,  and  some  of 
them  are  so  easy,  so  customary  and  so  dear  to  the 
back -number  superintendent's  heart,  that  only  a 
superintendent  with  the  true  teacher-spirit  is  likely 
to  find  the  strait  and  narrow  way  of  educational  ex- 
cellence that  this  book  aims  to  set  forth. 

Not  only  must  we  have  these  five  classes  in  our 
Sunday  school  of  to-day :  we  must  retain  them  as  a 
permanent  basis  of  our  teaching  plant.  Year  after 
year  the  work  of  these  five  classes  must  go  on.  The 
children  will  grow  with  the  years  ;  the  teachers  must 
remain.  Until  some  such  arrangement  is  established, 
a  Sunday  school  is  not  really  a  school.  An  instructor 
who  travels  with  his  class  is  not  a  teacher  but  rather 
a  tutor.  Tutors  have  their  honored  place  ;  but  they 
are  not  teachers.  A  teacher's  work  is  defined  in 
terms  of  the  school ;  a  tutor's  in  terms  of  the  partic- 
ular pupils  he  is  engaged  to  teach.  Our  five  teachers 
must  be  so  related  to  the  Sunday  school  that  they  will 
constitute  a  faculty,  each  responsible,  not  for  taking 


14      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

care  of  certain  individuals  year  after  year,  but  for 
discliargiug  a  certain  section  of  tlie  whole  school's 
responsibility.  Each  teacher,  then,  as  he  senses  this 
trust,  will  seek  to  make  himself  a  real  primary 
teacher,  or  intermediate  teacher,  or  whatever  he  is, 
and  will  study  how  best  to  do  what  needs  to  be  done 
for  his  particular  pupils  during  that  period  of  their 
lives  when  it  is  his  business  to  teach  them. 

Housing. — The  Sunday  school  must  meet  some- 
where. The  place  of  meeting  must  be  such  as  to 
furnish  proper  conditions  for  good  Sunday-school 
work.  Not  many  of  our  little- school  meeting-places 
are  such  as  the  work  needs.  Of  course  these  cannot 
be  rebuilt  and  refurnished  to  order.  But  when  we 
know  what  housing  we  ought  to  have,  and  why  what 
we  do  have  hinders  us  from  reaching  good  results, 
we  shall  be  nearer  to  gaining  these  results  than  we 
were  before. 

A  study  of  good  housing  for  the  small  rural  Sun- 
day school,  therefore,  is  thoroughly  practical,  even  if 
there  seems  to  be  not  the  slightest  visible  prospect 
that  a  new  or  improved  building  can  be  had.  It  is 
always  the  unseen  that  creates  the  seen.  Mind  rules 
matter.  To  have  a  Sunday  school  that  needs  a  good 
building,  that  is  already  doing  work  worthy  of  a 
good  building,  that  will  do  still  better  work  when  it 
gets  its  good  building,  and  that  knows  exactly  what 
sort  of  building  it  wants,  is  to  have  a  school  that  will 
surely,  some  day,  get  the  building  it  needs. 

Plan  now  for  what  the  Sunday  school  now  needs, 
and  for  what  it  is  going  to  need,  as  far  ahead  as  you 
can  see.  Eemember  the  necessary  limitations  of  work 
with  small  numbers.     One  separate  room  for  the  pri- 


Wliat  It  Needs  15 

maiy  class,  another  for  the  adult  class,  and  a  broad, 
well-phiiined  room  for  all  the  rest,  is  probably  the  best 
arrangement  a  five-class  school  can  have,  in  the  pres- 
ent stage  of  the  Sunday-school  art.  The  other  uses 
to  which  the  building  is  to  be  put  must  also  not  be 
forgotten. 

The  main  room  should  be  open  and  cheery  in  effect, 
with  flat  floor  a  little  broader  than  long,  access  from 
the  rear,  light  from  rear  and  sides,  a  low  platform 
with  movable  desk,  and  an  unbroken  wall  behind 
the  desk,  so  that  light  will  fall  on  whatever  is  there 
displayed.  Many  a  blackboard  is  made  useless  by 
the  difficulty  of  so  placing  it  that  all  the  audience  can 
read  what  is  put  thereon.  Maps,  wall  charts  and  a 
lantern  screen  will  all  require  such  a  wall  for  proper 
display.  Seat  with  light,  comfortable  chairs  that  can 
be  quickly  rearranged  in  any  combination,  and  give 
each  class  its  table.  The  primary  room  should  also 
be  light  and  flat-floored,  seated  with  low  chairs  and, 
if  possible,  with  a  tight  partition  between  it  and  the 
main  room.  Only  on  special  occasions  should  the 
children  sit  with  the  main  school ;  and  then  they  may 
bring  their  little  chairs  with  them  and  carry  them 
back  when  their  part  in  the  service  is  over. 

If  a  separate  primary  room  is  not  now  possible,  its 
place  can  be  taken  for  several  months  in  the  year  by 
a  good  out-of-doors.  A  fine  yard,  with  overhanging 
trees  and  a  soft  green  turf,  is  an  educational  asset  that 
some  Sunday  schools  have  and  do  not  use,  and  that 
others  could  have  for  a  little  concerted  effort.  There 
is  nothing  essentially  irreligious  about  fresh  air.  On 
the  plains,  in  the  arid  or  semi-arid  states,  a  sunshade 
would  have  to  be  erected  or  grown  ;  but  what  such  a 


i6      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

school  bad  to  do  without  iu  maples  and  green  grass  it 
would  gain  in  regularity  of  clear  weather. 

Far  different  from  the  vision  thus  hinted  at  is  the 
reality  for  most  of  our  five-class  Sunday  schools. 
Some  meet  in  old  country  churches  with  fixed  pews, 
some  in  district  schoolhouses  with  fixed  desks,  built 
with  fearsome  exactitude  to  fit  Young  America's 
graded  backs  and  knees.  Every  possible  combina- 
tion of  expedients  to  draw  classes  together  around  and 
in  and  over  such  desks  and  seats  is  already  familiar 
to  the  rural  Sunday-school  worker  and  therefore  need 
not  be  discussed  here.  Courage  !  Eelief  is  coming, 
aud  that  from  two  directions.  Educational  reformers 
are  demanding  freedom  of  life  in  the  school,  with  a 
daily  program  calling  for  seated  work  only  a  part  of 
the  time.  They,  too,  want  an  open  floor,  with  relief 
from  desk  tyranny.  Then  the  rural  life  movement 
leaders  want  the  schoolhouse  as  a  community  center, 
with  floors  that  can  be  used  for  all  sorts  of  occasions. 
Let  the  rural  Sunday-school  leaders  join  in  the  de- 
mand for  schoolhouse  seating  reform.  The  chance 
for  getting  all  we  need  may  be  nearer  than  we  think. 

The  chief  disadvantage  of  church  pews  is  the  dif- 
ficulty of  introducing  tables  for  centralized  class  work. 
Hinged  boards,  with  swinging  brackets,  may  be  at- 
tached to  the  pew-backs.  By  stretching  strong  wires 
here  and  there  and  running  light  curtains  between 
the  classes,  an  excellent  amount  of  class  privacy  can 
be  secured  during  the  lesson  period ;  though  the 
drawback  of  noise  will  of  course  continue. 

Equipment. — Besides  seating,  curtains,  screens  and 
class  tables,  a  blackboard  has  long  been  preached  as 
a  superintendent's  necessity.     It  is,  if  the  superin- 


What  It  Needs  17 

tendent  has  learned  how  to  use  it  and  knows  what  he 
wants  it  for.  Orders  of  service,  new  hymns,  mottoes, 
notices  and  other  messages  to  the  eye  can  be  written 
with  an  expressman's  crayon  on  large  sheets  of  paper 
tacked  to  the  wall.  Some  expert  can  usually  be  found 
who  will  do  this  lettering  in  advance,  the  superin- 
tendent furnishing  copy.  By  ruling  such  a  sheet 
with  vertical  pencil  lines  half  an  inch  apart  to  repre- 
sent the  Sundays,  and  cross-hatching  with  similar 
half-inch  lines  leading  to  a  scale  in  the  margin,  and 
graduating  this  scale  according  to  the  size  of  the 
school,  a  chart  can  be  formed  on  which  the  attend- 
ance can  be  plotted  by  the  secretary  each  Sunday,  the 
jagged  line  showing  the  school's  record  for  the  year. 

An  instrument  to  accompany  the  singing  is  usually 
counted  a  necessity.  A  piano  is  better  than  an  organ 
as  a  leader  of  voices,  because  it  more  clearly  marks 
the  rhythm.  If  the  school  has  a  cabinet  organ,  let  it 
also  have  some  one  who  will  take  a  few  lessons  in  the 
simple  art  of  keeping  the  organ's  inner  works  clean 
and  in  order.  The  accompanist's  musical  training 
should  also  be  a  matter  of  interest  to  the  school.  A 
cornet  helps  in  an  out-of-doors  gathering ;  but  in  a 
small  room  its  leadership  tires  the  voices  and  encour- 
ages loud  singing.  Even  when  well  muted,  its  brass 
throat  is  too  strong.  If  used  at  all,  let  it  be  on  special 
occasions. 

Several  other  items  of  Sunday-school  equipment 
may  be  briefly  noted.  A  wall  clock,  well  tended, 
helps  in  securing  punctuality  by  all  concerned.  A 
bulletin-board,  mounted  near  the  door  on  the  eye- 
line,  saves  the  giving  out  of  many  a  notice  and  secures 
publicity  for  reports,   lists  of  honors  and  announce- 


l8      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

meuts  of  forthcoming  events.  Shelves  for  the  Bibles 
and  hymnals  enable  these  to  be  decently  cared  for. 
A  separate  box  or  tray  for  each  class  will  serve  for 
keeping  on  hand  a  supply  of  pads,  pencils  and  other 
supplies.  A  set  of  Bible  maps  is  needed  for  occa- 
sional desk  use  and  for  loan  to  classes  whose  lesson 
may  need  map  illustration.  The  small  Kent  and 
Madsen  maps,  mounted  on  collapsible  iron  standard 
and  sold  for  five  dollars,  are  ideal  for  the  little  Sunday 
school's  needs. 

Most  important  of  all  the  items  of  the  schooPs  per- 
manent equipment  is  its  Bible  supply.  Without  re- 
laxing the  effort  to  have  each  pupil  and  teacher  own 
his  own  Bible  and  bring  it  with  him,  provide  an 
adequate  supply  of  Bibles  in  readable  type,  and 
watch  their  condition.  The  trend  of  the  times  is 
towards  the  use  of  the  American  Standard  Bible  ;  and 
if  there  were  no  other  reason  for  falling  in  line,  the 
inconvenience  of  having  two  versions  in  use  is  so 
great  that  the  school  should  promptly  put  itself  on  a 
revised -version  basis  and  encourage  all  buyers  of  new 
Bibles  to  buy  that  version  alone.  There  are  however 
many  other  reasons.  The  new  version  of  the  old 
Book  is  the  basis  of  all  the  graded  lessons.  The 
paragraphic  and  poetic  arrangement  of  the  Bible 
text  aids  the  student  in  following  the  subject  and 
understanding  the  treatment.  The  translation  at 
many  points  is  clearer,  making  good  sense  where 
King  James's  translators,  working  over  three  hun- 
dred years  ago,  were  able  to  make  little  or  none. 
The  great  early  manuscripts  of  the  New  Testament, 
unknown  or  unavailable  in  1611,  have  enabled  our 
modern  translators  at  many  points  to  get  nearer  to 


What  It  Needs  19 

what  the  sacred  text  originally  was  and  so  to  give  ns 
God's  Word  more  perfectly.  Those  who  once  ac- 
custom themselves  to  the  use  of  the  new  version  find 
it  just  as  precious  and  godly  as  the  dear  old  form, 
and  better  for  the  work  of  teaching  religion  to  the 
children. 

Hymn-books,  the  library  and  the  lesson-help 
supply  will  be  considered  in  connection  with  the 
work  for  which  these  items  of  equipment  are  needed. 

Relations. — Nothing  that  is  unrelated  can  properly 
call  itself  alive.  No  amount  of  internal  progressive- 
ness  will  make  any  Sunday  school,  lai'ge  or  small, 
what  it  should  be,  unless  it  freely  relates  itself  to 
the  life  around  it  and  so  becomes  a  part  of  a  larger 
whole. 

If  the  Sunday  school  is  a  church  school,  its  first 
and  nearest  relation  will  be  to  the  local  church  of 
which  it  is  a  part.  It  will  try  to  run  itself  on  a 
church  policy.  The  pastor  will  be  its  pastor  ;  and 
though  he  may  be  able  to  attend  only  once  in  two 
weeks,  or  three,  or  four,  when  he  comes  he  will  be 
honored  as  the  ranking  officer  and  his  leadership  will 
be  sought.  The  right  of  the  church  to  direct  in 
general  the  Sunday  school's  work  will  be  acknowl- 
edged. By  conference,  sympathy  and  cooperation 
the  school  and  the  church  will  make  themselves  one. 

Beyond  the  local  church  lies  the  denomination. 
This  represents  the  Suiulaj^  school's  religious  family 
connection.  Duties  under  this  head  include  (1)  a 
study  of  the  denomination's  doctrines,  polity  and 
lines  of  work  by  the  senior  class  as  a  regular  part 
of  its  course  of  study  ;  (2)  a  systematic  platform 
treatment  of  its  principal  missionary  and  benevolent 


20      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

causes,  with  gifts  thereto  ;  (3)  au  annual  offering, 
large  in  proportion  to  ability,  for  the  support  of  the 
denominational  Sunday-school  work,  and  (4)  annual 
statistical  reports  promptly  and  fully  rendered.  It 
will  ordinarily  include  also  (5)  the  preference  by 
the  school  of  its  own  denominational  lesson  helps 
and  supplies. 

A  union  Sunday  school  has  neither  church  nor  de- 
nomination. Its  members  however  have  each  their 
sei)arate  denominational  allegiance  and  know  where 
the  nearest  pastor  or  missionary  representing  that 
denomination  may  be  found.  It  is  just  as  necessary 
for  each  boy  and  girl  in  a  union  school  to  have  a 
church  home  as  it  would  be  if  he  belonged  to  a 
church  school.  If  possible  secure  a  visit  and  a 
helpful  talk  from  each  pastor  represented,  utiliz- 
ing his  visit  to  arrange  for  the  public  reception  by 
his  church  of  any  of  his  people  who  desire  to  con- 
fess Christ. 

The  spirit  of  Christian  unity  is  abroad.  More  and 
more  we  are  coming  to  see  the  evil  of  denominational 
rivalry  and  the  waste  of  separation  for  merely  sec- 
tarian reasons.  The  union  school  should  encourage 
the  union  of  all  its  people  in  one  community  church, 
of  whatever  denomination  the  majority  prefer.  But 
where  there  is  no  such  community  church,  the  union 
school  should  maintain  connection,  on  behalf  of  its 
members,  with  one  particular  local  church  of  each 
represented  denomination. 

Quite  different  from  these  relations  is  the  relation 
of  each  Sunday  school,  whether  denominational  or 
union,  to  all  the  other  Sunday  schools  of  its  own 
county.     This    relationship    is  free,    voluntary  and 


What  It  Needs  2 1 

mutuaL  Every  Sunday  school,  whether  church  or 
union,  does  some  things  on  its  own  responsibility. 
One  of  these  has  been  to  form  a  county  Sunday- 
school  association,  or  to  fall  in  with  the  county 
work  already  organized  in  most  of  the  counties  of 
North  America. 

Every  Sunday  school  needs  the  stimulus  and  con- 
tact of  good  county  work.  For  the  little  Sunday 
school  such  help  is  indispensable.  The  annual  con- 
vention is  its  educational  and  inspirational  rally,  its 
breathing  time,  its  chance  to  share  that  joy  and  up- 
lift of  fellowship  that  the  city  school  may  have  when- 
ever it  pleases.  The  county  secretary  is  its  friend 
and  correspondent,  through  whom  it  comes  into  re- 
lation with  the  great  Sunday-school  world.  Where 
township  and  district  work  is  done,  the  fellowship  is 
still  closer.  The  organized  Sunday-school  work  in 
most  of  the  states  and  provinces  of  North  America  is 
the  most  effective  agency  for  the  promotion  of  im- 
proved method.  The  remedy  for  any  defects  it  may 
show  is  not  to  withhold  cooperation  but  to  come  in 
and  try  to  make  the  work  better.  Every  county 
Sunday-school  association  is  free  to  manage  its  own 
affairs  ;  and  the  little  Sunday  schools  have  as  good 
a  right  as  any  other  party  at  interest  to  see  that  those 
affairs  are  managed  well. 

The  little  Sunday  school  should  therefore  regularly 
make  its  statistical  report  to  the  county  Sunday- 
school  association,  accompanying  or  following  this 
with  its  contribution  for  the  county  and  state  ex- 
pense. If  it  does  this,  it  will  surely  receive  the 
notice  of  the  county  convention  ;  and  to  this  it 
should  send  every  year  a  representative  delegation. 


22      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Whether  or  not  it  succeeds  in  attaining  all  the 
points  of  its  deuomi national  or  state  standard,  it 
will  meet  its  neighbors,  pick  up  points  in  con- 
ferences, learn  new  ways  of  solving  old  problems 
and  lend  its  own  good  influence  to  help  some  less 
fortunate  school. 

This  county  Sunday-school  relationship  is  a  part 
of  that  community  relationship  which  we  are  coming 
more  and  more  to  recognize  as  a  potent  force  for 
social  progress.  The  little  Sunday  school  belongs 
to  its  community,  and  for  its  community  it  ought 
to  live.  Every  home  within  its  utmost  parish  limits, 
unless  directly  under  some  other  spiritual  care,  should 
feel  the  effects  of  its  efforts  for  good.  Every  evil  that 
hurts  the  community's  life  should  feel  its  practical 
opposition.  Every  movement  for  progress,  material, 
social,  intellectual  or  religious,  should  fiud  it  a  helper 
and  a  friend.  Let  the  city  leaders  learn  by  experi- 
ence what  the  little  Sunday  school,  when  it  enlists  as 
a  social  force,  can  do. 

Support. — Last  among  the  items  to  be  mentioned 
which  this  school  needs  for  its  work  in  the  world  is 
the  item  of  support.  How  to  get  a  good  support  for 
his  struggling  enterprise  is  our  superintendent's  ever- 
present  problem. 

First  comes  the  matter  of  pupil -support.  The  little 
ones  are  all  right.  The  boys  and  girls  will  usually 
stand  by.  But  the  young  men  and  women  are  often 
careless ;  while  the  adult  class  members  come  when 
they  please,  and  many  who  should  be  members  never 
come  at  all.  Why  is  this?  John  Wanamaker,  a 
veteran  Sunday-school  worker  as  well  as  a  merchant 
prince,  once  remarked,  *^If  I  found  that  a  certain 


What  It  Needs  23 

class  of  my  customers  was  falling  off  in  its  trade  and 
leaving  my  store,  I  would  never  rest  until  I  had  found 
out  why  they  left ;  and  then  I  would  make  the  changes 
needed  to  bring  them  back  again."  The  school  can- 
not run  successfully  without  the  hearty  support  of 
all  classes  of  its  pupils,  old  and  young.  If  that  is 
not  given,  it  is  the  superintendent's  duty,  not  to 
complain  and  recriminate,  but  to  find  out  why,  and 
then  to  make  such  changes  as  will  win  back  the 
stragglers,  gain  new  recruits  and  hold  all  firmly  in 
line. 

Then  comes  the  support  of  the  teachers.  In  a 
large  school  a  careless  teacher  here  and  there  can  be 
ofi"set  by  harder  work  in  the  department,  until  his 
resignation  can  be  secured  and  a  better  worker  in- 
stalled. In  a  little  school  the  full  support  of  every 
teacher  is  a  necessity.  Let  the  superintendent  first 
of  all  set  his  teachers  an  example  of  diligence  and 
punctuality.  Let  him  interest  himself  in  the  prob- 
lems of  each  teacher  in  turn :  he  can  do  that  in  a 
little  school.  Once  a  month  let  him  hold  the  stated 
meeting  of  the  workers'  conference,  leading  his  teach- 
ers to  God's  throne  in  prayer  for  help,  studying  with 
them  some  line  of  helpful  instruction  and  laying 
before  them  his  own  problems  and  plans  for  their 
advice  and  decision.  Thus  he  makes  the  school  their 
school ;  and  we  cannot  help  taking  an  interest  in 
that  which  we  feel  to  be  our  own. 

The  officers  not  teachers,  and  the  presidents  of  the 
senior  and  adult  classes,  are  also  members  of  the 
workers'  conference,  and  their  support  is  to  be  sought 
and  secured  in  much  the  same  way.  The  support 
of  the  community  will  come  in  proportion  as  the 


24      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Siiuday  school  shows  such  commuDity  spirit  as  is 
referred  to  above. 

By  far  the  most  important  support,  and  in  many 
cases  the  hardest  to  get,  is  the  support  of  the  parents. 
Fathers  and  mothers  want  their  children  properly 
educated,  and  generally  believe  in  the  Sunday  school 
as  a  good  thing.  But  they  seldom  realize  its  true 
aims  or  appreciate  j  ust  how  and  when  their  coopera- 
tion is  most  sorely  needed.  Sometimes  the  whole 
force  of  the  home's  influence  seems  to  be  thrown 
squarely  against  what  the  school  stands  for.  When 
educational  reforms  are  introduced,  calling  for  harder 
work  at  home,  they  object.  When  they  ought  to 
come  and  see  for  themselves  what  the  Sunday  school 
is  doing,  they  stay  away.  When  they  might  plan 
their  Sundays  so  as  to  bring  the  whole  family  to  the 
Sunday  school  on  time,  they  go  visiting,  or  refuse  to 
'^ hitch  up."  When  the  superintendent  makes  some 
mistake,  or  fails  to  please  them,  they  criticize  him 
before  the  children,  whose  confidence  he  must  have, 
if  he  is  ever  to  help  them.  When  the  Gospel  has 
been  preached  with  power  and  earnest  young  hearts 
want  to  stand  up  and  confess  their  Saviour,  how 
often  has  the  parents'  "  Not  yet ;  you  are  too  young  " 
blocked  the  way  and  left  the  lambs  locked  out  of  the 
fold  within  whose  shelter  they  belong? 

As  before,  however,  we  must  not  recriminate.  How 
to  get  the  parents'  support  is  a  part  of  our  Sunday- 
school  problem.  If  we  have  a  definite  idea  of  what 
we  want  the  school  to  be,  and  our  idea  is  education- 
ally right,  getting  the  parents  to  share  that  idea  and 
join  in  the  work  of  realizing  it  is  simply  a  matter 
of  patience,  sympathy,  advertising  and  prayer. 


What  It  Needs  25 

The  active,  intelligent  support  of  the  parents  is 
valuable  in  many  ways.  It  is  the  unconscious  in- 
fluence of  the  home,  however,  that  really  counts. 
Where  interest  in  the  wider  life  colors  the  talk  at  the 
breakfast  table,  where  reverence  for  God's  day,  God's 
book  and  God's  house  shows  in  the  family  habits 
and  actions,  where  things  are  valued  by  other  than 
worldly  standards,  where  prayer  is  no  painful  tbr- 
mality  but  the  natural  expression  of  the  parents' 
attitude  towards  God,  there  the  children  will  come 
to  Sunday  school  as  bearers  of  a  spiritual  force  that 
will  help  to  make  the  Sunday  school  go.  Such  chil- 
dren will  eagerly  want  what  the  school  has  to  give, 
and  will  give  their  own  good  influence  in  return. 
We  have  not  many  such  homes  ;  but  it  is  part  of  our 
work  to  secure  more. 

It  is  usually  the  mother  that  makes  the  home. 
The  Sunday  school  that  holds,  teaches,  trains  and 
transforms  the  children  is  the  successful  Sunday 
school.  The  Sunday  school  that  has  the  homes 
firmly  on  its  side  for  a  wise  program  of  religious 
education  will  hold,  teach,  train  and  trausform  tlie 
children.  The  Sunday  school  that  converts  the 
mothers  to  its  ideals  and  lines  them  up  for  daily 
effort  to  bring  these  ideals  to  pass  will  have  the 
homes  as  outstations,  feeders  of  itself  as  the  central 
enterprise.  As  we  review  the  seven  headings  of  this 
chapter,  then,  and  note  how  their  initials  spell  for  us 
the  word  ^'mothers,"  let  us  take  this,  not  as  a  mere 
device  to  aid  the  memory,  but  as  embodying  a  fun- 
damental secret  of  success  in  our  work  of  soul-saving 
and  life-training  through  the  Sunday  school. 


n 

MAKING  A  START 

The  Simple  Start. — Starting  a  new  Sunday  school, 
or  reviving  an  old  one,  is  a  comparatively  simple 
process.  The  average  Sunday-school  missionary  goes 
through  with  it  from  five  to  twenty  times  a  year. 
The  community  is  canvassed  in  the  interest  of  the 
proposed  organization  and  invited  to  a  meeting.  In 
the  course  of  this  canvass  the  organizer  seeks  for  a 
likely  man  or  woman  for  superintendent,  with  the 
needed  teaching  force  ;  but  he  avoids  any  forestalling 
of  the  community's  choice.  The  people  know  the 
dependable  workers.  At  the  meeting  he  presents  the 
project  and  gets  the  interested  ones  to  vote  to  have 
a  Sunday  school.  He  presides  over  the  choice  of 
superintendent  and  enough  teachers  to  insure  a  good 
start.  Pupils  are  enrolled  and  classes  formed.  Ques- 
tions of  time  and  place,  name,  denomination  and 
lesson  helps  are  raised  and  settled.  A  subscription 
is  taken  to  pay  for  needed  equipment.  With  a  few 
parting  instructions,  and  an  appointment  to  visit  the 
field  soon  again,  the  work  is  done. 

There  is  nothing  about  a  start  like  this  that  might 
not  be  done  by  the  people  themselves,  if  some  one 
would  take  the  lead.  Many  Sunday  schools,  indeed, 
are  started  every  year  by  the  spontaneous,  consecrated 
effort  of  some  earnest  soul.  In  every  state,  at  the 
ofiBce  of  the  state  Sunday-school  association,  in  the 

26 


Making  a  Start  27 

local  and  national  Sunday-school  headquarters  of 
every  denomination,  and  at  the  general  and  district 
offices  of  the  American  Sunday-School  Union,  are 
expert  Sunday-school  workers  to  whom  a  local  Chris- 
tain  worker  might  confidently  appeal  for  suggestions 
and  at  least  moral  sux^port.  If  there  ought  to  be  a 
Sunday  school  in  your  neighborhood,  or  within  your 
reach,  and  there  is  not,  start  one. 

The  possibilities  of  gain  to  Christ's  cause  from  the 
starting  of  such  a  Sunday  school  are  truly  limitless. 
No  imagination  can  foresee  what  the  simple  lessons 
there  taught,  with  the  worship  and  the  sense  of  Chris- 
tian fellowship  and  outlook,  may  mean  to  some  of 
those  boys  and  girls,  or  to  some  repressed  and  long- 
ing soul  of  maturer  years.  The  little  mission  Sunday 
school  has  proved  for  many  a  golden  gateway  into  a 
larger  and  more  fruitful  life. 

The  Educational  Start. — This  simple  starting  of 
a  Sunday  school  on  customary  lines,  with  all  its  pos- 
sibilities of  happy  outcome,  is  something  quite  differ- 
ent from  the  starting  of  a  Sunday  school,  new  or  old, 
on  a  career  of  definite  purpose  in  the  religious  educa- 
tion of  the  community.  In  the  latter  case  our  aim  is 
not  simply  to  reproduce  customary  method  and  so 
produce  a  *  Agoing  concern,''  that  will  keep  up  its 
meetings  and  increase  its  interest  and  attendance,  nor 
yet  to  add  to  this  sundry  modern  improvements  as 
called  for  in  our  Sunday-school  standard,  but  rather 
to  secure  certain  results.  We  have  a  vision  of  these 
individuals  gathered,  interested,  taught,  transformed, 
built  up  in  character  on  Christ  the  Foundation  of 
their  lives,  and  released  as  agents  in  the  renovation 
of  the  community.     We  see  not  only  these  results  but 


28      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

the  successive  steps  by  which  they  are  to  be  secured. 
It  is  this  educational  start  with  which  we  are  now 
chiefly  concerned. 

In  the  educational  vision  we  get  the  perspective  of 
the  years.  Not  the  mere  succession  of  Sunday  ses- 
sions interests  us,  but  the  slow  and  silent  transforma- 
tions that  are  to  take  place  in  the  growing  souls  now 
enrolled  in  our  classes.  By  a  right  arrangement  of 
our  forces  we  see  their  efficiency  steadily  increasing, 
and  with  it  the  school's  influence  over  its  members. 
As  these  grow  towards  maturity  we  see  their  loy- 
alty returning  to  reenforce  our  staff,  and  their  per- 
sonality going  out  to  enrich  the  community  and  the 
world. 

Devices  and  methods,  be  they  never  so  standard 
and  modern,  cannot  make  an  educational  Sunday 
school.  It  is  not  a  question  of  lessons  and  machinery, 
but  of  what  we  are  trying  to  do  and  by  what  steps  we 
[>lcin  to  do  it.  A  purpose  to  win  souls,  and  a  clear 
perception  of  the  steps  by  which  souls  are  to  be  won, 
will  make  the  crudest  of  beginnings  educational.  As 
for  the  Holy  Spirit's  power,  all  of  us  rely  on  Him  ; 
but  some  look  for  Him  to  work  outside  of  and  beyond 
their  efforts,  others  within  and  through  them. 

Remaking  an  Old  School. — In  any  Sunday  school 
which  has  been  running  for  some  years,  the  reformer 
must  beware  of  so  breaking  with  the  past  that  the 
asset  of  the  members'  good  habits  shall  be  lost  in  the 
transition.  Eather  should  he  seek  to  let  the  new 
grow  out  of  the  old,  always  managing  to  keep  the 
larger  part  of  his  organization  going  on  in  the  ac- 
customed way.  He  must  not  be  afraid  of  being 
called  inconsistent.     Neither  must  he  yield  to  the 


Making  a  Start  29 

iusisteuce  of  this  or  that  zealous  specialist,  until  he 
sees  that  the  enterprise  as  a  whole  is  ready  for  the 
particular  improvemeut  recommeuded. 

To  play  this  part  successfully,  however,  the  super- 
iuteudent  must  have  his  vision ;  else  will  he  simply 
be  one  of  the  ten  thousand  old  fogies  who  hold  tight 
the  doors  of  their  little  Sunday  schools  against  the 
entrance  of  reform.  He  must  be  able  to  see  that 
particular  school  of  his  as  it  will  look  when  recon- 
structed for  true  educational  service.  He  must  be 
able,  too,  to  see  the  product  of  his  school  shaping 
itself  in  tangible  results  year  after  year,  as  the  good 
work  grows  better  and  one  success  opens  the  way  for 
another. 

The  great  lack  in  the  rural  field  is  usually  com- 
petent leaders.  The  personal  factors  of  each  local 
situation  must  determine  what  to  do  first  and  what 
next.  The  situation  as  we  find  it  will  determine  the 
method  of  our  educational  start.  But  it  must  not  be 
allowed  to  warp  and  limit  our  plans  for  the  final 
arrangement ;  nor  must  we  let  any  difficulties,  how- 
ever great, becloud  the  clear  outlines  of  our  vision. 

The  five  classes  of  the  standard  little-school  plan 
have  been  described  in  Chapter  I.  So  far  as  that 
plan  is  not  now  the  plan  of  the  school,  the  needed 
work  is  clear.  Let  the  superintendent,  alone  or 
with  the  help  of  one  or  more  sympathetic  fellow- 
reformers,  take  the  list  of  the  classes  as  they 
stand  and  draw  up  another  list  of  the  same  pupils 
as  they  would  be  if  arranged  in  classes  according 
to  the  scheme  outlined.  What  transfers  will  this 
involve?  By  what  moves  may  these  transfers  be 
effected?    If  the    ambition  to    have  a  thoroughly 


30      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

moderu  schoo],  giviug  to  every  pupil  a  first-rate 
religious  educatiou,  were  properly  presented,  would 
uot  the  scliool  respond  and  endorse  the  movement? 
If  then  it  were  announced  that  a  few  transfers  weie 
necessary,  in  order  to  put  the  school  into  good  shape 
educationally,  would  not  most  of  the  members  stand 
ready  for  their  orders  ?  If  the  list  were  next  read, 
and  if  the  classes  to  which  the  transferees  are  to  come 
w  ere  ready  with  an  invitation  and  a  welcome,  would 
not  enough  respond  and  go  to  insure  the  success  of 
the  plan  ?  One  or  two  might  doggedly  resist :  the 
cases  of  these  might  then  be  publicly  postponed  for  a 
month,  during  which  the  needed  missionary  work 
could  be  done.  Too  many  schools  have  tried  and 
succeeded  in  reorganizations  of  this  sort  for  any 
leader  to  say  that  it  cannot  be  done.  But  there 
may  be  a  better  way  for  this  school  than  that  here 
outlined. 

Suppose  there  are  not  five  teachers,  what  then! 
That  brings  us  to  the  great  law  of  educational  re- 
organization :  Begin  at  the  bottom  and  organize  up. 
If  you  can  have  five  classes,  let  them  be  primary, 
junior,  intermediate,  senior  and  adult.  If  but  four, 
diop  the  senior  class,  merging  it  with  the  adults.  If 
but  three,  make  them  primary,  junior  and  adult. 
If  but  two,  throw  the  children  of  eleven  and  younger 
in  with  the  primary  children  and  have  a  primary  or 
rather  an  elementary  class  and  an  adult  class.  In 
each  of  these  cases  except  the  last,  make  the  work 
of  each  class  as  nearly  as  possible  what  it  should  be 
for  pupils  of  the  standard  ageF  for  that  class.  Sacri- 
fice something  of  what  the  older  ones  should  get,  if 
you  must,  but  keep  the  work  for  the  younger  children 


Making  a  Start  31 

all  that  it  ought  to  be.  Some  of  the  needs  of  the 
older  ones  can  be  covered  in  other  ways.  By  folio w- 
iug  this  principle  we  prepare  for  the  future.  Every 
year's  growth  of  the  children  brings  us  that  much 
nearer  our  educational  goal.  Have  a  well  graded 
school,  therefore,  for  the  youngest  children  ;  and  from 
that  starting-point  have  good  grading  as  far  up  as 
you  can  now  go. 

Insuring  Permanence. — In  building  a  home  in  the 
forest  it  might  be  possible  to  find  four  trees  growing 
in  such  a  position  that  their  trunks  would  do  for  the 
corner  timbers  of  the  house.  Why  should  not  the 
pioneer  follow  such  a  plan!  Because  the  trees  are 
alive.  They  seem  fixed  and  stable  to  the  eye  ;  but  he 
knows  that  their  steady  growth  would  erelong  throw 
his  house  out  of  plumb.  Now  that  is  just  what  hap- 
pens in  a  Sunday  school  whenever  organization  is  ef- 
fected without  providing  for  the  element  of  living 
growth  on  the  part  of  the  children.  The  classes  may 
be  all  right  now  ;  but  in  a  year  or  two  the  arrange- 
ment will  be  out  of  plumb. 

Once  a  year,  therefore,  the  school  must  reorganize, 
so  as  to  bring  it  back  to  the  form  it  held  when  the 
year  began.  Only  a  few,  it  may  be,  will  be  affected; 
but  next  year  there  will  be  a  few  more,  and  so  on  un- 
til all  are  shifted  to  new  positions.  If  these  changes 
are  made  arbitrarily  they  will  be  resented,  and  there 
will  be  various  kinds  of  trouble.  But  if  the  school 
can  be  made  to  see  what  the  changes  mean,  and  how, 
by  making  them  steadily,  year  after  year,  each  class 
is  kept  at  the  one  place  in  the  school,  doing  its  work 
better  and  better  as  the  years  go  by,  opposition  will 
soon  turn  into  enthusiasm. 


32      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Promotion  Sunday  is  the  usual  name  for  the  day 
when  these  changes  are  made.  It  might  be  held  at 
any  time  in  the  year ;  and  in  itself  it  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  use  of  graded  lessons.  If  you  have  or- 
ganized a  class  of  children  whose  ages  run  from  nine 
to  twelve,  and  if  you  want  to  keep  your  school  so  or- 
ganized that  the  pupils  from  nine  to  twelve  will  al- 
ways be  in  that  class  and  under  that  teacher,  then  you 
must  keep  putting  in  the  nine-year-olds  and  taking 
out  the  thirteen-year-olds,  must  you  not  f  Then,  no 
matter  what  lessons  your  junior  teacher  uses,  he  will 
every  year  be  more  of  an  expert  in  the  handling  and 
teaching  of  junior  children.  But  if  you  fail  to  make 
these  annual  promotions  and  changes,  he  will  get  no 
chance  to  practice  on  one  group  after  another,  but 
will  be  carried  along  by  the  growth  of  his  children 
till  he  finds  himself  teaching  not  juniors  but  inter- 
mediates j  and  they,  as  many  have  learned  to  their 
sorrow,  are  a  diflerent  proposition  altogether. 

The  only  way  to  carry  through  a  promotion  plan 
the  first  year  is  to  have  it  in  mind  from  the  beginning, 
and  to  make  clear  to  all  just  what  it  will  involve. 
Settle  therefore  at  once  how  the  school  year  is  to  run. 
The  graded  lesson  courses  all  begin  on  the  first  Sun- 
day in  October ;  and  as  you  will  surely  be  using 
them  some  time  if  not  ready  to  do  so  now,  you  will 
do  well  to  fall  in  line  with  the  great  majority  of 
gi'aded  Sunday  schools  and  fix  your  Promotion  Sun- 
day on  the  last  Sunday  of  September.  Let  that  be 
the  school's  annual  commencement,  the  close  of  its 
scholastic  year.  Let  it  be  agreed  on  and  announced 
long  in  advance.  On  that  day  the  classes  will  be  re- 
organized by  promotion,  to  bring  them  back  to  the 


Making  a  Start  33 

age-limit  and  plan  of  grades  which  we  intend  to 
maintain  as  the  phiu  of  tliis  school/ 

If  some  few  individuals,  at  the  time  of  starting  the 
new  plan,  should  refuse  to  be  transferred  so  as  to  en- 
able the  graded  classes  to  be  properly  formed,  and  if 
the  month  of  delay  and  friendly  reasoning,  as  pro- 
posed, should  fail  to  move  them,  it  would  be  proper 
to  let  them  stay  in  their  former  places  until  the  next 
Promotion  Sunday,  they  taking  full  responsibility  for 
their  position.  By  that  time  the  good  sense  of  the 
new  methods  will  have  been  shown  ;  and  with  others 
moving  up  to  claim  the  honors  of  promotion,  and 
younger  children  coming  in,  the  tide  of  influence  will 
be  too  strong  for  the  objectors  to  resist.  Experience 
on  this  point  shows  that  reasonably  good  graded 
work  seldom  fails  to  make  converts  if  given  a  few 
months'  time. 

What  to  Teach. — For  more  than  a  generation  the 
American  Sunday  school  had  the  question  of  what 
lessons  to  teach  taken  entirely  off  its  hands.  Among 
the  little  schools  particularly,  the  only  lesson  in  sight 
was  the  International  Uniform  Lesson.  There  was  a 
choice  indeed  between  the  lesson  papers  of  this  or 
that  publisher,  between  the  use  of  denominational 
helps  or  those  of  some  independent  house,  and  be- 
tween the  cheap  lesson  leaves  in  all  the  classes  and  the 
more  costly  quarterlies,  graded  to  fit  the  needs  of 
senior,  intermediate,  junior  and  primary  pupils. 
There  were  also  special  helps  which  might  or  might 
not  be  used.  But  there  was  never  a  question  that  on 
a  given  Sunday,  in  any  class,   the  lesson  would  be 

^  For  the  description  of  a  plan  for  condncting  this  promotion 
service,  see  Chapter  VI,  p.  104, 


34      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

other  than  "David  Brings  the  Ark  to  Zion,"  or 
whatever  the  uniform  lesson  for  that  Sunday  might 
be. 

Now,  however,  the  little  Sunday  school  finds  itself 
compelled  to  face  the  question.  What  lessons  shall 
we  teach  in  our  classes  ?  There  are  graded  lessons  to 
consider  as  well  as  the  uniform  lesson  j  and  both 
systems  are  International.  The  graded  system,  it 
seems,  calls  for  seventeen  lessons  to  be  taught  at  once 
in  the  same  school.  The  text- books  are  quite  uulike 
those  on  the  uniform  system  and  much  more  expen- 
sive. What  should  a  little  Sunday  school  do  in  so 
bewildering  a  situation  ?  To  hold  on  to  the  good  old 
uniform  Bible  lesson  until  clearly  shown  a  better  way 
is  for  the  average  little  school  unquestionably  the 
wise  course  to  pursue. 

But  the  school  must  hold  itself  ready  to  be  shown. 
The  uniform  lessons  are  good  ;  but  the  graded  lessons 
when  properly  handled  may  be  better.  The  real 
question  is.  What  do  we  need  to  teach  these  children  ? 
Lessons  are  a  means,  not  an  end.  A  school  is  not 
made  better  by  introducing  graded  lessons  as  a  fad, 
or  to  gain  credit  somewhere  ;  it  may  easily  be  made 
worse.  Let  us  try  to  free  our  minds  of  preconception 
on  this  whole  lesson  question,  and  simply  ask,  as  to 
each  of  our  five  newly  graded  classes,  What  ought 
this  teacher  to  be  given  as  the  lesson  course  for  this 
class  f 

Educational  Lessons. — For  the  adult  class,  in 
most  little  schools,  there  will  be  small  need  to  raise 
the  question.  They  are  now  following  the  uniform 
lesson  and  getting  from  their  weekly  discussions  of 
the  assigned  Bible  passage  as  much  good  as  they 


Making  a  Start  35 

would  be  likely  to  get  from  any  other  course  that 
their  teacher  could  haudle.  Let  this  good  work 
therefore  go  on  for  the  rest  of  the  year.  There  are 
indeed  courses  for  progressive  adult  classes  that  want 
to  get  at  modern  topics  like  the  liquor  question,  the 
duties  of  parents  or  the  social  teachings  of  the  Bible, 
or  that  prefer  the  direct  and  continuous  study  of  one 
Bible  book  to  the  selected  passage  system  of  the  uni- 
form course.  A  committee  of  the  class,  with  the 
teacher,  might  investigate  possibilities  on  this  line 
for  consideration  as  plans  are  made  for  the  new  school 
year.  Meanwhile  let  every  effort  be  made  to  get 
more  out  of  the  weekly  Bible  study  on  the  old  accus- 
tomed line. 

Much  the  same  is  true  of  the  senior  class.  For 
young  men  and  women  there  is  now  available  even  a 
wider  range  of  lesson  choices  than  for  adults.  Possi- 
bly they  might  be  willing  to  follow  a  training  course, 
all  joining  in  class  study  and  those  who  so  chose  en- 
rolling and  taking  the  examinations.  They  would 
work  as  hard  in  a  singing  class  or  in  the  games  and 
sports  at  a  young  people's  social  :  why  not  go  in  with 
equal  zest  for  a  diploma  and  some  accurate  knowledge 
of  the  Bible  and  how  to  teach  it?  Then  there  are 
books  on  mission  study,  presenting  the  lives  of 
famous  workers  who  did  great  things  for  Jesus,  that 
would  keep  the  class  inspired  for  three  months  with 
a  glowing  sense  of  the  reality  of  their  religion,  and 
that  would  send  them  back  to  their  Bible  lessons  pre- 
pared to  get  new  and  deeper  meanings  from  its  sacred 
words.  But  if  these  and  other  proposals  do  not  as 
yet  seem  feasible,  do  not  force  them.  Go  on  with  the 
uniform  senior  Bible  lesson  ;  but  help  the  teacher  to 


36      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

make  it  more  practical  and  to  give  the  youug  folks  a. 
better  chance  to  take  part  in  the  discussion. 

The  intermediate  class  presents  the  hardest  prob- 
lem of  the  school.  Between  twelve  and  sixteen  the 
boys  and  girls  are  passing  through  the  period  of  early 
adolescence.  It  is  not  easy  to  interest  them  in  any 
line  of  study.  They  want  to  talk  about  everything 
on  earth  but  the  lesson,  and  to  do  anything  except 
what  the  school,  the  teacher  and  their  parents  wish. 

Splendid  graded  lessons  are  ready  for  the  inter- 
mediate class,  if  it  is  ready  for  the  lessons.  These 
lessons,  however,  like  lessons  in  the  high  school,  pre- 
suppose other  lessons  already  learned  in  the  grades 
below.  If  the  teacher  of  this  class  feels  equal  to  new 
and  difficult  work  in  lesson  planning  ;  if  he  has  the 
class  so  well  in  hand  that  they  will  do  some  Bible 
studying  at  home  ;  and  particularly  if  the  pupils  are 
already  fairly  well  taught  in  the  stories  and  facts  as 
to  the  great  Bible  characters  in  the  Old  Testament, 
the  first  year  Intermediate  lessons  may  be  introduced 
at  the  beginning  of  any  quarter.  Where  these  condi- 
tions are  not  fulfilled,  it  will  be  best  at  the  start  to  go 
on  with  the  uniform  lesson  in  the  intermediate  class. 

Now  comes  the  junior  class.  What  do  the  boys 
and  girls  from  nine  to  twelve  most  need  to  learn  in 
the  Sunday  school  ?  Obedience,  says  one  much -tried 
worker.  Reverence,  insists  another.  Knowledge  of 
the  Bible,  says  a  third.  The  way  to  God,  some 
thoughtful  soul  may  softly  say.  Youug  as  they  are, 
declares  still  another,  they  are  sinners :  what  they 
need  is  to  find  Christ  their  Saviour  and  give  their 
hearts  to  Him. 

And  then  comes  a  multitude  of  further  suggestions, 


Making  a  Start  37 

each  with  much  iu  its  favor.  Teach  them  the  cate- 
chism. Let  them  sign  the  temi)eraiice  pledge  and 
learu  what  it  means.  Teach  them  missions.  Get 
them  into  the  habit  of  going  regularly  to  church. 
IVIake  I  hem  systematic  givers.  Good  citizenship, 
peace,  purity,  charity  for  the  poor,  care  for  the  birds 
and  for  dumb  animals — these  and  many  other  lines  of 
teaching  and  training  have  been  urged  for  junior 
children  ;  and  somewhere  a  society  can  be  found  ar- 
dently at  work  lining  up  the  children  for  the  cause. 
Some  of  these  teachings  are  proposed  for  the  Sunday 
school,  some  for  junior  societies,  leagues  and  bands, 
some  for  the  public  school ;  but  if  the  teaching  is 
needed  by  these  children,  it  is  proper  to  consider 
whether  it  should  or  should  not  be  taught  in  our 
junior  class. 

What  are  we  trying  to  teach  them  now  ?  A  series 
of  lessons  from  the  Bible.  Is  next  Sunday's  selection 
the  best  choice  of  Bible  matter  that  could  possibly  be 
made  for  a  junior  class  ?  Does  it  lay  a  foundation  of 
Bible  knowledge  on  which  the  later  lessons  in  this 
and  the  higher  courses  can  build?  Are  the  children 
learning  to  use  their  Bibles'?  Is  their  interest  in 
Bible  study  increasing?  Of  all  those  matters  that  we 
saw  proposed  for  their  learning,  how  much  is  now 
being  reached  under  these  lessons  ?  What  they  are 
now  learning  may  be  good  i:i  itself,  and  in  relation  to 
our  convenience  in  the  handling  of  it ;  but  is  it  good 
in  relation  to  their  need  ? 

The  junior  International  graded  lesson  course  is 
four  years  long.  The  first  year's  course  begins  with 
the  Creation  and  runs  through  nine  months  to  the 
death  of  Moses;  then  it  spends  eight  weeks  with 


38      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Jesus,  learning  some  of  the  stories  He  told  to  illus- 
trate His  teachings,  and  closes  with  four  weeks  of 
map-lessons  on  the  journeys  of  Moses  and  his  last 
vision  of  the  Promised  Laud.  Every  lesson  is  a  good 
Bible  story  for  pu]3ils  of  nine  or  ten,  but  can  be  made 
interesting  also  to  the  older  members.  Eacli  requires 
the  use  of  the  Bible  :  the  lessons  are  not  printed  in 
the  pupil's  book,  but  answers  to  the  questions  must 
be  written  there.  The  work  thus  gives  that  famili- 
arity with  the  Bible  as  a  book  which  the  pupil  needs 
for  his  later  studies.  The  stories  of  Noah,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  Joseph  and  Moses,  with  their  reverent 
sense  of  God's  presence  and  their  ready  obedience  to 
His  commands,  are  well  fitted  to  teach  those  virtues 
that  junior  children  need  to  learn. 

These  junior  graded  lessons,  therefore,  are  what  the 
class  needs  to  learn ;  at  least  they  are  the  best  that  we 
are  likely  to  find  in  the  Sunday-school  market.  But 
the  teacher  needs  to  learn  how  to  teach  them.  To  one 
who  has  taught  only  the  uniform  lessons  they  repre- 
sent an  entirely  different  idea  of  what  a  Sunday- 
school  lesson  is.  A  good  day  school  teacher  could 
take  the  text-books  and  be  ready  in  a  week  to  begin 
work.  She  knowf^  how  to  plan  a  recitation  and  how 
to  set  her  pupils  at  work  embodying  their  new 
knowledge  in  hand-made  exercises.  She  also,  prob- 
ably, knows  how  to  tell  a  story  so  as  to  convey  a 
moral  without  having  to  tack  the  moral  od.  The 
untrained  Sunday-school  teacher  will  probably  need 
a  month  or  two  of  advance  study  before  being  ready 
to  begin  the  lessons  with  the  junior  class. 

The  primary  teacher  needs  a  graded  lesson  even 
more  than  the  junior  teacher  does.     She  has  often 


Making  a  Start  39 

found  it  Lard  to  make  the  day's  lesson  seem  even  in- 
telligible, much  less  interesting  and  profitable,  to  her 
little  ones.  Memory  work,  therefore,  has  been  her 
favorite  exercise.  Even  an  untrained  teacher  can 
take  the  beautiful  stories  and  pictures  of  the  primary 
International  graded  lessons  and  make  more  of  them 
than  of  the  uniform  lessons.  Give  her  therefore  the 
sample  set  of  pupil's  folders  and  the  teacher's  manual 
of  the  first  year  primary  course  ;  let  her  study  them 
diligently  during  the  weeks  remaining  to  the  end  of 
the  present  quarter,  teaching  on  her  former  plan 
meanwhile.  Then,  on  the  first  Sunday  of  the  next 
quarter,  let  her  begin  in  the  new  way. 

In  ordering  the  supplies  for  this  graded  work  re- 
member that  all  these  graded  lessons  are  numbered 
from  1  to  52,  beginning  with  the  first  Sunday  in  Oc- 
tober. If  the  work  is  to  begin  on  that  Sunday,  order 
Part  I,  including  Lessons  1  to  13.  If  it  is  to  begin  on 
the  first  Sunday  of  January — a  very  poor  time  to 
begin — order  Part  II,  Lessons  14  to  26  ;  and  so  with 
Part  III  and  Part  IV.  The  teacher's  manual  for  the 
first  part  in  each  course  contains  the  explanatory 
'*  Foreword"  for  the  year.  In  the  advance  buying 
for  the  teacher,  it  is  therefore  better  to  procure  one 
copy  of  the  teacher's  manual  for  all  four  parts  and 
one  set  of  the  pupil's  folders  or  books  for  the  year, 
so  that  the  year's  work  can  be  studied  as  a  whole. 
The  supplies  will  all  be  used  sooner  or  later,  even  if 
the  class  is  to  begin  in  the  middle  of  the  year. 

These  explanations  refer  to  the  *^  closely  graded  " 
or  original  form  of  the  International  graded  lesson 
issues.  The  same  lessons  are  also  issued  departmen- 
tally,  in  serial  form  like  the  uniform  lesson  quarter- 


40      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

lies.  As  so  issued,  each  lesson  is  dated  and  not 
numbered.  To  carry  out  the  former  suggestions  it 
would  simply  be  necessary  for  the  school  to  subscribe 
for  one  copy  each  of  the  primary  aud  junior  lesson 
issues  for  the  remainder  of  the  calendar  year.  The 
departmental  lessons  are  issued  by  certain  of  the  de- 
nominational Sunday-school  houses.  They  were  so 
I)repared  to  fit  the  needs  of  the  little  school,  where 
but  one  lesson  at  a  time  can  be  taught  in  the  junior 
or  the  primary  class  5  whereas  the  closely  graded 
lessons  are  meant  to  be  taught  to  all  grades  in  sepa- 
rate classes  side  by  side,  a  lesson  to  a  year.  Both 
forms  of  lesson  arrangement  are  in  successful  use  in 
hundreds  of  little  Sunday  schools. 

The  New  Plan  at  Work. — The  month  or  two  be- 
fore the  starting  time,  during  which  the  teachers  were 
studying  their  new  text-books  and  making  their  plans, 
has  gone  by.  The  changes  and  shifts  needed  to  secure 
a  proi^erly  graded  set  of  classes  have  been  made.  On 
the  appointed  Sunday,  the  first  of  the  quarter,  the  new 
lessons  began.  The  school  has  been  running  on  an 
educational  basis  for  two  or  three  weeks.  About 
this  time  an  intelligent  visitor  drops  in.  Of  course 
he  asks,  ''How  are  your  new  plans  working?" 

Theoretically,  the  answer  ought  to  be,  ''Splen- 
didly ! "  The  primary  teacher  should  beam  with  joy  as 
she  turns  from  her  fascinated  circle  of  little  ones  ;  and 
they  should  join  her  in  the  chorus,  holding  up  their 
folders  to  show  the  pretty  pictures  they  have  drawn 
about  the  beautiful  stories  that  she  has  been  telling 
them.  The  juniors  should  likewise  respond  heartily, 
producing  their  books  with  the  pictures  properly 
pasted  in,  the  memory  texts  correctly  written,  and 


Making  a  Start  41 

every  answer-blank  filled  with  brief  and  scrawly 
lesson  wisdom.  Each  child  should  also  display  his 
own  Bible  and  be  able  to  show  the  verses  in  Genesis 
that  he  read  at  home  last  week  as  his  lesson  book  di- 
rected. In  the  intermediate  class,  if  that  also  began 
the  new  work,  a  good  account  of  Abraham's  life  and 
character  should  be  forthcoming.  The  older  classes 
should  report  a  more  earnest  grip  on  their  lesson 
tasks.  A  quiet  spirit  of  purposefulness  should  per- 
vade the  school. 

Exactly  such  results,  with  many  other  equally  en- 
couraging features,  have  actually  been  secured  in 
many  newly  graded  little  Sunday  schools,  according 
to  the  reports  of  elementary  workers  familiar  with 
their  fields.  Such  a  response  is  what  may  reasonably 
be  expected  when  all  the  necessary  conditions  of  suc- 
cess have  been  met.  This  is  the  ' '  bogey  score ' '  of  the 
grading  game,  the  advertised  maximum  output  of  the 
new  machine.  The  fact  that  you  or  I  cannot  make 
such  a  record  the  first  time  we  try  is  no  proof  that 
the  course  is  bad  and  the  advertisement  a  swindle  :  it 
only  shows  that  we  have  not  yet  learned  the  game. 

If  the  superintendent  and  his  teachers  have  never 
tried  this  kind  of  work  before,  they  must  expect  to 
make  many  mistakes,  and,  in  consequence,  to  meet 
many  difficulties.  The  smooth  sailing  that  was  ex- 
pected may  be  months  ahead,  with  stormy  seas  be- 
tween. But  if  the  leader  has  the  vision,  success  is 
sure ;  and  if  careful  preparation  is  made  before  the 
start  is  attempted,  and  the  little  company  of  workers 
is  loyal  and  in  earnest,  in  a  few  weeks  the  time  of 
struggle  will  be  over,  and  the  results  of  a  wiser  lesson 
method  will  begin  to  appear. 


m 

INCREASED  ATTENDANCE 

A  Laudable  Ambition. — The  primal  instinct  of 
every  bealtby  Sunday  school  is  to  grow.  It  may  be 
only  a  little  school  now ;  but  it  does  not  intend  to 
stay  little.  It  wants  every  new  member  it  can  get ; 
and  from  time  to  time  it  lays  plans  and  starts  a  cam- 
paign of  increase.  A  school  that  does  not  actively 
try  to  grow  larger  is  very  likely  to  grow  smaller ;  for 
the  older  ones  in  such  a  school  are  liable  to  drop  out 
faster  than  the  younger  ones  come  in. 

In  most  American  communities,  also,  there  is  a 
certain  amount  of  movement  among  the  population. 
Some  of  the  best  workers  and  their  children  remove 
to  other  fields,  generally  the  city,  and  newcomers 
take  their  place.  These  newcomers  seldom  seek  the 
Sunday  school ;  they  must  be  sought  and  won.  If 
the  Sunday  school  is  not  ambitious  to  grow  in  num- 
bers, the  motive  power  necessary  for  this  winning 
process  will  be  lacking. 

Newcomers,  however,  are  not  the  only  available 
source  of  new  members.  It  is  a  sparsely  settled 
region  indeed,  or  else  a  sadly  overchurched  one, 
where  there  are  not  some  people  in  the  community, 
and  even  some  children,  who  ought  to  be  in  our  Sun- 
day school  and  are  not.  Some  of  these  are  former 
members  who  have  dropped  from  the  ranks,  not  be- 
cause the  school  has  finished  its  work  for  them,  and 

42 


Increased  Attendance  43 

they  their  work  for  the  school,  but  merely  because 
the  school  has  failed  to  meet  their  needs.  The  people 
who  feel  that  attendiug  Suuday  school  is  worth  their 
while  do  not  drop  out ;  aud  all  but  the  youug  children 
are  likely  to  settle  that  question  for  themselves. 

The  school  therefore  should  labor  to  bring  in  these 
outsiders.  At  the  same  time  it  should  seek  to  under- 
stand why  they  left,  and  should  plan  to  make  it 
thoroughly  worth  while  for  every  one  of  them  to  re- 
turn.    Every  failure  is  a  lesson. 

Retention  and  Graduation. — Back  of  all  plans  to 
bring  in,  of  course,  must  be  the  plan  to  keep  in.  It 
is  much  easier  to  make  it  worth  a  pupil's  while  to 
stay  than  to  make  it  worth  an  outsider's  while  to 
come  ;  for  the  pupil  is  already  with  us,  one  of  our 
force,  able  to  show  us  what  he  wants  if  we  have  the 
sense  to  learn  it  from  him.  The  wise  superintendent 
is  constantly  studying  his  school,  observing  what 
bores  them  and  what  arouses  their  appreciation  or 
their  enthusiasm.  The  educational  policy  must  also 
be  a  popular  policy,  or  its  failure  is  sure. 

That  idea  of  the  Sunday  school's  finishing  its  work 
for  anybody  may  strike  some  as  preposterous.  In  a 
broad  sense  indeed  it  is  true  :  there  will  always  be  a 
benefit  yet  to  be  received  by  continued  attendance. 
But  why  should  not  the  studies  of  the  Sunday  school 
lead  to  a  definite  conclusion  1  If  the  Sunday  school 
is  to  be  a  school,  it  must  have  a  course  of  study.  In 
a  course  of  study,  however  long,  there  comes  some- 
where a  graduation.  The  ideal  Sunday  school,  large 
or  small,  will  have  a  graduntion  time  for  its  graded 
pupils,  after  which  they  will  have  the  option  of  con- 
tinuing their  graded  studies  in  the  training  class,  or 


44      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

taking  ungraded  work  iu  the  general  adult  class,  or 
going  to  work  in  one  of  the  Sunday-school  offices. 

Dangers  in  Numbers. — Just  as  paying  out  fresh 
string  makes  the  kite  drop,  and  putting  in  more 
potatoes  makes  the  pot  stop  boiling,  so  a  rapid  influx 
of  new  members  is  liable  to  interrupt  the  steady 
educational  progress  of  the  Sunday  school.  A  meet- 
ing for  worship  and  speaking  is  helped  by  increase  of 
numbers.  Let  them  come  until  there  is  standing 
room  only  :  the  greater  the  crowd,  the  deeper  the  in- 
terest, and  the  better  the  speaker  will  talk.  But  a 
school  is  not  so  affected.  Each  teacher's  work  is 
planned  for  a  certain  number  of  pupils,  seated  in  a 
certain  way.  When  the  class  swells  beyond  its  proper 
limit,  it  becomes  unmanageable.  When  several 
classes  are  so  swelled,  the  whole  teaching  plan  breaks 
down.  The  unruly  ones  take  advantage  of  the  crowd 
to  start  disorder.  The  teacher's  voice  and  reach  will 
not  carry  to  the  outer  edge  of  the  class  circle  ;  voices 
are  raised  till  one  class  interferes  with  another  ;  and 
the  only  recourse  is  to  turn  the  school  into  a  meeting, 
start  a  song  and  proceed  to  work  as  a  meeting  and  not 
as  a  school.  Many  a  revival  has  played  havoc  for  a 
time  with  good  school  work  in  just  this  way. 

Along  with  plans  to  win  new  members,  therefore, 
must  always  go  plans  for  handling  them  after  they 
are  won.  If  five  new  pupils  are  coming  next  Sunday, 
there  ought  to  be  five  places  ready  to  receive  them. 
Greetings,  confusion  and  shuffling  of  seats  to  make 
room  for  newcomers  must  not  be  allowed  to  subtract 
from  the  value  of  the  day's  lesson  to  those  who  are 
entitled  to  an  unbroken  lesson  chance  every  Sunday 
m  the  year,     A  visitors'  bench  or  set  of  chairs  near 


Increased  Attendance  45 

the  door  is  a  necessary  piece  of  equipment  for  any 
up-to-date  Sunday  school,  and  a  superintendent  or 
associate  ready  to  greet  and  assigu  the  new  recruits  is 
a  necessary  officer. 

Rewards,  Wise  and  Otherwise. — In  the  laudable 
ambition  to  grow  in  numbers,  many  devices  have  been 
made  use  of,  some  of  which  have  been  widely  adver- 
tised among  the  smaller  schools.  Rewards  are  given 
for  bringing  in  new  pupils.  Sometimes  a  prize  is 
offered  to  the  one  who  brings  in  the  most  new  pupils. 
The  school  is  divided  into  two  sections,  the  reds  and 
the  blues,  and  a  coutest  is  instituted  to  see  which  side 
will  gather  in  the  most  recruits  by  a  certain  time. 
Organized  classes  in  neighboring  schools  challenge 
each  other  to  contests  and  make  all  sorts  of  efforts  in 
the  work  of  rounding  up  a  crowd  that  will  beat  their 
oppoueuts.  The  zeal  and  energy  shown  in  these 
enterprises  is  worthy  of  high  praise.  The  getting  of 
new  hearers  within  reach  of  gospel  influence  is  in 
itself  greatly  to  be  desired.  What  shall  we  say  as  to 
the  wisdom  of  such  efforts  on  the  whole  ? 

In  order  to  meet  this  question  fairly  and  settle  it 
adequately,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  up  the  whole 
subject  of  rewards  as  a  means  of  character-culture. 
We  desire  the  attendance  of  these  outsiders  that  we 
may  save  them  from  sin  and  build  up  their  character 
in  the  graces  of  the  Christian  life.  Rewards  affect 
attendance  and  statistics  ;  but  they  also  affect  indi- 
vidual character.  Let  us  consider  that  phase  of  the 
subject  first. 

Motives  are  either  external  or  internal.  An  in- 
ternal motive  for  an  action  is  one  that  springs  out  of 
the  action  itself.     I  do  a  kind  deed,  and  my  eou- 


46       How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

science  commends  me.  Perhaps  the  recipient  is  ap- 
preciative. The  results  of  my  action  make  me  feel 
glad  that  I  overcame  my  hesitation  and  did  the  deed  ; 
and  next  time  the  opportunity  presents  itself  I  will 
probably  do  it  again.  In  such  a  case  I  am  moved  by 
an  inner  connection  between  the  act  and  my  feeling  of 
satisfaction  following  the  act.  My  motive  is  inter- 
nal. 

Having  done  the  good  act,  I  go  home  and  tell  my 
mother  about  it.  She  smiles  and  commends  me.  Her 
approval  blends  with  the  api^roval  of  my  own  con- 
science and  so  strengthens  my  internal  motive  to  do 
kind  deeds.  If  she  does  no  more  than  commend  and 
smile,  I  will  go  on  in  the  strength  of  my  own  in- 
ternal motive,  which  will  gradually  grow  stronger 
till  kindness  becomes  the  law  of  my  life,  inde- 
pendently of  what  my  mother  or  any  one  else  may 
think  or  say. 

But  suppose  my  mother  gives  me  ten  cents  for  being 
so  kind,  and  promises  a  like  reward  for  every  similar 
act.  That  ten  cents,  representing  to  me  candy,  or 
"the  movies,"  or  what  not,  constitutes  an  external 
motive,  having  no  relation  whatever  to  my  feelings 
of  honest  satisfaction  with  myself  for  doing  a  good 
deed.  In  fact,  it  tends  to  crowd  out  and  obliterate 
such  feelings.  I  am  out  for  money  now,  and  have  no 
time  to  be  sentimental.  Neither  does  the  offer  of  the 
ten  cents  blend  with  my  own  feelings  as  the  smile  did. 
It  comes  indeed  from  my  mother's  good  heart ;  but  I 
do  not  realize  that.  All  I  see  is  a  chance  to  make 
ten  cents.  Out  I  go,  watching  with  a  newsboy's  eye 
for  the  next  ten  cents'  worth  of  opening  to  do  a  kind 
deed.     She  might  have  made  me  a  philanthropist: 


Increased  Attendance  47 

what  she  has  done  is  to  start  me  ou  my  way  to  being 
a  skinfliut  aud  a  grafting  politician.^ 

Now  let  us  apply  this  distinction  between  inner  aud 
outer  connection  to  the  matter  of  rewards  for  securing 
new  puj)ils.  The  application  is  also,  of  course,  to  re- 
wards to  the  new  pupils  for  coming  to  school,  or  to 
old  pupils  for  staying,  or  indeed  to  the  whole  round  of 
book-giving  and  pin-bestowing  of  which  our  Sunday- 
school  methods  are  so  full.  The  fact  that  it  may  be 
a  Bible  we  give  does  not  put  a  better  face  on  the 
matter. 

Every  reward  that  lies  outside  the  real  nature  of 
the  deed  done  is  a  hindrance  to  the  growth  of  good 
character.  Drugs  and  chemicals,  even  active  poisons, 
may  make  good  medicine  when  administered  to  meet 
a  special  and  morbid  condition.  The  offer  of  a  re- 
ward to  incite  to  good  work  may  similarly,  at  a  par- 
ticular j  uncture,  be  wise  policy  in  Sunday  school.  But 
to  rely  on  the  practice  regularly,  as  so  many  super- 
intendents do,  is  like  living  on  medicine  instead  of 
cultivating  natural  health.  The  educatioiial  Sunday 
scliool  makes  its  work  its  own  reward  and  at  every 
point  reduces  external  motive  to  the  smallest  amount 
possible. 

Instead,  then,  of  any  of  these  mechanical  and  dan- 
gerous devices,  cultivate  school  spirit,  loyalty,  en- 
thusiasm. Instead  of  playing  the  reds  against  the 
blues,  dividing  the  forces  when  they  are  already  so 
prone  to  divide  on  any  trifling  pretext,  play  the 
school  against  the  outsiders.  Get  a  school  banner  ; 
or  still  better,  let  the  boys  furnish  the  sticks  and  the 

»See  Elizabeth  Harrison's  "A  Study  of  Child  Nature,"  pp. 
139,  130,  for  a  story  illustrating  this  point. 


48      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

riggiug  and  the  girls  hold  a  sewing  bee  to  embroider 
or  sew  on  the  letters  and  fringe,  and  make  your  own 
banner,  the  most  gorgeous  the  county  has  ever  seen. 
Adopt  school  colors  ;  rehearse  a  school  yell ;  wear  a 
school  badge.  If  the  fraternal  orders  can  make  in- 
surance capital  out  of  regalia,  titles  and  degrees,  why 
should  the  Sunday  school  spend  its  money  for  re- 
wards when  it  can  get  better  results  by  far  out  of  a 
little  "ginger ' '  and  enthusiasm ? 

Campaign  methods,  however,  are  suggested  merely 
as  a  possible  substitute  for  less  desirable  devices.  We 
have  not  attained  to  the  natural  method  in  educational 
hygiene  until  the  daily  work  of  the  Sunday  school 
becomes  itself  the  reward  relied  on  to  hold  fast  those 
now  in  and  to  attract  those  still  outside.  Every 
step  detailed  in  this  book  for  improving  the  class 
work  and  giving  it  a  better  grip  on  the  life  of  pupils 
and  teachers  is  also  a  step  in  the  work  of  enlarging 
and  steadying  attendance.  No  item  more  regularly 
recurs  in  the  reports  of  work  in  graded  Sunday 
schools  than  that  of  improved  regularity  and  in- 
creased attendance  as  a  result  of  having  lessons  to 
study  and  teach  that  are  definite,  progressive  and 
worth  while. 

At  the  same  time  we  must  not  forget  the  part  that 
was  played  in  our  illustration  by  the  mother^ s  smile. 
The  Sunday  school  must  care  and  take  notice  when 
its  members  do  praiseworthy  things.  If  this  care  is 
expressed  in  wisely  planned  records,  painstakingly 
kept  and  regularly  reported,  and  if  this  notice  is 
taken  officially,  in  the  shape  of  some  simple  system 
of  honors  and  recognitions,  the  results  will  fully  equal 
anything  ever  secured  through  costly  reward  sys- 


Increased  Attendance  49 

terns  ;  and  the  effect  ou  character  will  be  good  instead 
of  evil. ^ 

New  Classes. — In  war,  in  football,  in  business  and 
in  Sunday -scliool  management,  good  tactics  include  a 
determined  holding  of  the  initiative.  As  Ben  Frank- 
lin put  it  in  his  Poor  Richard's  Almanac,  "Drive 
thy  work  ;  let  not  that  drive  thee."  For  growth  in 
numbers,  therefore,  the  superintendent,  as  already 
stated,  must  be  ready.  We  have  already  seen  how 
the  two- class  school  should  organize,  and  what  steps 
it  should  take  in  growing  up  to  the  standard  five-class 
plan.^  By  what  further  steps  should  it  grow  from 
fifty  to  one  hundred  members?  It  will  take  ten 
teachers  to  care  for  a  school  of  that  size  :  how  should 
these  five  new  classes  successively  be  formed  ? 

To  a  visitor  trained  in  modern  methods  of  Sunday- 
school  organization,  the  idea  of  running  a  whole 
Sunday  school  with  only  five  teachers  seems  shock- 
ing. To  throw  together  in  one  class  not  only  all 
three  grades  of  the  primary  children,  but  even  the 
beginners,  is  a  sin.  To  the  city  junior  leader,  also, 
four  grades  in  one  junior  class  seems  subversive  of 
all  effective  grading.  To  the  secondary  worker  the 
putting  of  older  boys  and  girls  in  the  same  class  is  all 
wrong  :  the  sexes  should  be  taught  separately.  When 
these  exponents  of  a  city-made  ideal  are  cornered  by 
the  rural  delegates  at  a  county  convention  and  asked 
what  they  would  do  if  five  classes  were  all  they  had 
and  all  they  had  any  prospect  of  having,  they  usually 
express  sympathy  for  those  so  unfortunately  situated, 
deal  out  a  few  generalities,  and  take  up  another  topic. 

*  For  a  working  system  of  records,  reports  and  recognitions, 
see  Chapter  V.  «  Chapter  II,  p.  30. 


50      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

The  present  writer  confesses  with  shame  that  for  many 
years,  as  a  state  Sunday-school  general  secretary, 
something  very  like  this  was  his  j)ractice. 

Now  we  must  stand  together  for  the  proposition 
that  good  educational  work  can  be  done  with  but  five 
classes  j  and  this  book  is  an  honest  effort  to  show  how 
it  can  be  done.  But  we  must  also  recoguize  the  truth 
in  these  experts'  claim  of  the  great  desirability  of 
closer  gradiug  when  it  can  be  had.  The  wise  super- 
intendent of  the  little  Sunday  school,  therefore,  will 
be  proud  of  his  five  classes,  watchful  of  their  educa- 
tional welfare,  and  hopeful  of  the  results  to  be  secured 
through  his  teachers'  efforts ;  and  at  the  same  time 
he  will  plan  with  care  the  steps  he  intends  to  take  for 
the  spreading  out  of  his  grades,  as  soon  as  enlarging 
numbers  make  that  possible. 

Beyond  the  five-class  structure  already  set  forth, 
three  additional  classes  are  greatly  needed.  Which 
shall  be  formed  first  will  depend  for  the  most  part  on 
the  supply  of  teachers  qualified  to  do  good  work 
after  being  shown  how,  and  also  on  the  points  in  the 
school  where  the  need  for  change  seems  most  urgent. 
The  steps  to  be  taken  in  forming  these  new  classes  are  : 

1.  The  organizing  of  a  beginners'  class  out  of  the 
general  primary  class,  by  separating  the  children 
under  six  and  giving  them  a  teacher  of  their  own. 
This  work,  indeed,  may  be  started  whenever  an  as- 
sistant can  be  found,  as  was  stated  on  page  11.  As 
always,  the  age-rules  are  subject  to  exception  :  it  is 
mental  capacity  that  should  really  determine  our 
grading,  with  some  regard  also  to  physical  develop 
ment.  For  this  class  a  teacher  may  be  found  among 
the  mothers,  or  developed  by  drafting  one  of  the 


Increased  Attendance  51 

young  women  from  the  senior  class  as  primary  as- 
sistant and  alter  a  lew  weeks  promoting  her  to  full 
charge  of  the  new  class.  A  screened  or  curtained  corner 
should  be  given  whenever  possible,  with  small  chairs 
or  low  seats.  The  Beginners'  Graded  Lessons  furnish 
simple  and  beautiful  stories  and  pictures  which  even 
an  untrained  teacher  can  present  and  explain. 

2.  The  separating  of  the  younger  and  older 
juniors.  If  two  junior  classes  can  be  formed,  let  one 
consist  of  boys  and  girls  of  nine  and  ten,  the  other  of 
boys  and  girls  of  eleven  and  twelve.  At  this  age  the 
sexes,  while  preferring  to  play  apart,  are  together  in 
school  and  home  and  can  be  successfully  worked  in 
the  same  class,  as  two  crowds  studying  together. 

3.  The  separating  of  the  intermediate  boys  and 
the  intermediate  girls.  Entrance  on  the  period  of 
adolescence  gives  rise  to  a  long  series  of  what  are 
called  secondary  sexual  instincts,  in  which  the  youth 
acts  in  relation  to  the  other  sex  without  realizing 
what  force  it  is  which  moves  him  to  his  apparently 
unaccountable  conduct  and  state  of  mind.  Kegard 
for  personal  appearance,  for  instance,  may  develop 
almost  over  night,  to  the  amazement  of  the  mother, 
whose  precepts  about  a  clean  face  and  tidy  garments 
have  heretofore  fallen  on  deaf  ears.  It  is  hard 
enough  to  handle  these  early  adolescents  even  in 
separate  classes,  so  strong  and  erratic  are  the  im- 
pulses that  move  them  ;  and  in  a  mixed  class  things 
are  liable  to  be  even  worse.  Nevertheless,  the  need 
of  graded  instruction  for  these  dear,  foolish,  splendid 
boys  and  girls  in  this  very  period  is  so  great,  and  the 
instruction  they  need  is  so  vastly  diverse  from  that 
needed  by  the  sober,  thoughtful,  socially  established 


52      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

youDg  men  and  women  of  the  middle  and  later  ado- 
lescent periods  (sixteen  to  nineteen,  nineteen  to 
twenty-four),  that  if  we  can  have  but  two  classes  be- 
tween thirteen  and  twenty-four,  one  should  surely  be 
an  intermediate  class  and  one  a  senior.  The  senior 
youDg  men  and  women  may  continue  to  study  to- 
gether, as  they  meet  together  for  j)rayer  and  service 
in  their  young  people's  society.  We  can  afford  to 
postpone  that  division  till  the  school  is  considerably 
larger.  But  the  two  intermediate  classes  should  be 
formed  without  a  week's  unnecessary  delay. 

If  the  growth  in  numbers  still  continues,  the  next 
two  steps  will  be  the  similar  dividing  between  the 
boys  and  girls  of  the  older  junior  class,  where  the  sex 
instincts  are  already  beginning  to  make  themselves 
felt,  and  the  dividing  of  the  adult  class  into  a  class  for 
men  and  a  class  for  women.  This  last  is  desirable 
simply  because  adult  life  in  its  interests  and  mental 
habits  diverges  strongly  on  sex  lines,  and  the  adult 
students  can  get  far  more  practical  value  out  of  their 
weekly  lesson  discussions  if  they  are  not  confined  to 
questions  and  subject-matter  interesting  to  both  sides. 

A  Table  of  Growth. — Putting  these  and  the  earlier 
suggestions  into  tabular  form,  we  may  think  of  the 
educational  little  Sunday  school  as  a  '^  modern  im- 
provement" offered  in  four  sizes  : 


Size  A. — Two  classes,  iweniy  members. 
Primary  Class  General  Class 

Pupils  of  11  Children  above 

and  under.  II  and  adults. 

Superintendent  teaches  general  olass,  using  Uniform 

Lessons. 
Primary  teacher  uses  Primary  Graded  Lessons,  with 
Bil^le  work  for  older  pupils. 


Increased  Attendance  53 

Size  B. — Five  classes,  ffty  members. 
Primary  Class        Junior  Class  Intermediate Clas3 

8  and  under  9  to  12  13  to  16  or  17 

Primary  G,  L.        Junior  G.  L.         U.  L.  now  ;  Int.G.L. 
Asst.  for  Beg.  next  year. 

Senior  Class  Adult  Class 

17  or  18  to  23  or  24  Over  24 

U.  L.  or  elective.  U.  L,  or  elective. 

Two  officers,  superintendent  and  secretary-treasurer- 
librarian  ;  five  teachers. 

Size  C. — Eight  classes,  seventy-five  or  eighty  members. 
Beginners'  Class       Primary  Class         First  Junior  Class 

3,  4  and  5  6,  7  and  8  9  and  10 

Beginners'  G.  L.      Primary  G.  L.         Junior  G.  L.,  1st 

and  2d  years. 

Second  Junior  Class  Intermediate  Boys 

11  and  12  13  to  16  or  17 

Junior  G.  L.,  3rd  Intermediate  G.  L- 
and  4th  years. 

Intermediate  Girls  Senior  Class  Adult  Class 

12  or  13  to  16  or  17     17  or  18  to  23  or  24       Over  24 
Intermediate  G.  L.       U.  L,  or  elective.     U.  L.  or  elective. 

Superintendent,  secretary  and  one  or  two  other  officers, 
with  eight  teachers. 

Size  D. — Ten  classes,  one  hundred  memhei's. 

First  three  classes  same  as  in  Size  C;  but  use  assistants 
as  needed. 

Divide  Second  Junior  Class,  boys  and  girls. 

Divide  Adult  Class,  men  and  w^omeu. 

Promote  one  of  the  juvenile  assistants  to  be  teacher,  and 
take  the  best  of  the  elementary  teachers  for  Ele- 
mentary Superintendent,  in  charge  of  beginners, 
primary  and  junior  work. 

Increase  above  this  size  takes  the  Sunday  school  out  of 
the  number  of  those  considered  in  this  book. 

Winning  New  Pupils. — At  do  point  has  the  little 
Sunday  school  more  of  an  advantage  over  the  big 
school  than  in  the  work  of  winning  new  pupils.  In 
city  campaigning  our  efforts  are  for  strangers,  people 


54      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

we  do  not  yet  know.  In  llie  country  every  possible 
new  pupil  is  already  known  and  can  be  worked  for  as 
an  individual.  With  this  tactical  advantage,  the 
country  school  ought  with  the  same  amount  of  effort 
to  break  the  city  school's  record  every  time. 

The  methods  of  course  will  sharply  diverge.  The 
city  worker's  model  is  the  great  advertiser,  who  first 
has  something  good  to  sell  and  then  prints  his  selling 
talk  so  large  and  sends  it  forth  so  widely  that  if  only 
one  in  a  hundred  heeds  and  buys,  his  fortune  is  made. 
That  is  the  best  he  can  do  to  meet  the  handicap  of 
vast  numbers  of  indifferent  and  preoccupied  people. 
The  country  worker  is  relieved  of  this  handicap  ;  and 
therefore  he  needs  a  different  model  to  pattern  from. 
His  proper  model  is  the  life  insurance  agent.  Not  by 
broadcast  appeals,  but  by  the  listing  of  individual 
"prospects"  and  steady  personal  follow-up  work,  are 
recruits  to  be  gathered  for  the  little  school. 

Eegularly,  once  a  year,  a  campaign  for  increasing 
the  Sunday  school's  membership  should  be  begun. 
Late  summer  will  in  most  rural  neighborhoods  be  the 
best  time  to  start  this,  for  then  the  school  is  at  its  best 
and  the  slim  attendances  of  midwinter  need  to  be  fore- 
stalled by  adding  new  names  to  the  roll.  The  graded 
lessons,  also,  are  nearing  the  close  of  their  current 
years,  and  Promotion  Day,  the  last  Sunday  in  Sep- 
tember, will  give  the  chance  to  rearrange  classes  and 
properly  bestow  the  new  recruits. 

Let  the  leaders  in  conference,  then,  look  over  the 
situation.  Ask  first.  What  can  be  done  to  make  the 
school  sessions  more  forceful  and  inspiring  ?  Mere 
amusement  is  a  weak  attraction.  Purposefulness, 
brevity,  force,  spiritual  earnestness,  consideration  for 


Increased  Attendance  ^^ 

the  ambitions  and  interests  of  the  classes,  the  rigid 
cutting  out  of  every  word  of  platform  talk  not  abso- 
lutely needed  to  carry  out  the  school's  plan — these 
features  will  count  for  far  more.  Frank  criticism  by 
each  in  turn,  with  suggestions  for  improvement, 
should  be  called  for,  and  new  features  and  lines  of 
efifort  planned  for  the  Sundays  to  follow. 

Next  ask,  What  general  influences  are  keeping  any 
in  our  community  away?  There  may  be  some  state 
of  feeling  so  deep-seated  that  only  by  a  large  and 
carefully  planned  movement  can  it  be  neutralized  and 
overcome.  Who  are  the  strategic  personal  factors 
whom  we  ought  to  secure  ?  Frequently  one  man  or 
woman,  sometimes  one  boy  or  older  girl,  is  a  leader, 
and  by  holding  aloof  is  blocking  the  way  for  others 
whom  we  have  long  courted  in  vain.  The  first  step  is 
to  recognize  the  actual  situation  and  talk  it  frankly 
over.  The  second  is  to  agree  on  what  ought  not  to  be 
done.  It  would  be  easy  by  a  few  false  steps  to  make 
the  chance  to  win  such  a  one  much  poorer  than  it  is 
now.  The  third  is  to  pray  together  for  courage,  light 
and  the  power  of  God's  Spirit  on  the  opposing  hearts. 
Then  let  the  quiet  work  of  canvassing  for  some  one 
of  these  strategic  outsiders  begin. 

In  his  ''Yale  Lectures  on  the  Sunday  School," 
page  202  f.,  Dr.  H.  Clay  Trumbull  thus  describes  the 
work  of  a  New  England  country  superintendent  whom 
he  knew  : 

''The  superintendent  of  this  Sunday  school  had 
no  .  .  .  special  fitness  for  his  place,  save  a  quiet, 
earnest  persistency  of  purpose.  He  was  lacking 
in  personal  magnetism,  and  was  slow  and  heavy  in 
his  manners.     His  Sunday  school  was  a  small  one, 


56      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

haviog,  say,  forty  or  fifty  scliolars,  when  he  was 
chosen  as  its  superintendent.  He  wanted  the  school 
membership  increased  ;  but  he  knew  of  no  other  way 
of  bringing  this  about,  except  by  going  for  oue  person 
at  a  time  and  sticking  at  him  until  he  had  him  in  as 
a  scholar.  He  fastened  his  eyes,  for  example,  on 
'Squire  Brown,  who  ought  to  be  in  Sunday  school  on 
his  own  account,  and  as  a  means  of  bringing  others 
in.  He  invited  'Squire  Brown,  accordingly,  to  join 
one  of  the  Bible  classes.  Then  he  asked  'Squire 
Brown's  wife  to  urge  her  husband  to  accept  his  invi- 
tation. If  this  was  not  sufficient,  he  had  'Squire 
Brown's  children  ask  their  father  to  come  to  their 
Sunday  school.  Then,  perhaps,  he  induced  other 
members  of  the  Bible  class  to  join  in  the  same  re- 
quest ;  and  he  went  to  the  pastor  to  have  him  say  a 
word  in  that  direction  to  'Squire  Brown.  This  work 
was  followed  up  untiringly,  as  though  the  superintend- 
ent were  really  living  only  to  the  end  of  seeing  'Squire 
Brown  in  the  Sunday  school.  When  'Squire  Brown 
finally  came  in,  as  he  was  pretty  sure  to  do,  there  was 
at  once  another  outsider — from  the  congregation  or  in 
the  field  beyond  it — on  whom  the  superintendent's 
eye  was  fixed  ;  and  the  same  process  w^as  repeated 
with  him. 

''This  was  slow  work,  but  it  was  sure  work,  and 
it  was  a  work  which  any  determined  man  can  do. 
As  the  superintendent  grew  gray  in  the  service,  the 
membership  of  his  Sunday  school  was  enlarged.  At 
last  he  had  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons  in  that 
school,  a  number  equal  to  fully  nine-tenths  of  the 
entire  congregation  ;  and  the  Sunday  school  was 
called  the  *^  Banner  Sunday  school ''of  the  county. 


Increased  Attendance  57 

It  had  evangelized  a  large  portion  of  the  country 
population  of  its  township,  while  it  had  quickened 
the  life  of  the  church  of  which  it  was  a  part ;  and 
it  had  illustrated  a  work  which  ought  to  be  going  on 
in  every  country  township  of  America.'^ 

Without  waiting  until  the  'Squire  or  any  other  im- 
portant personage  has  thus  been  won  over,  let  the 
general  campaign  go  on.  Speak  from  the  desk  of  the 
need  that  every  member  of  the  school,  large  and 
small,  shall  be  a  missionary.  Let  each  class  devote 
five  minutes  to  the  compilation  of  a  written  list  of 
possible  new  members  for  that  class  ;  names  of  those 
reachable  but  properly  assignable  to  another  class 
being  so  marked.  If  pencils  and  i^ads  for  this 
work  are  distributed,  it  will  lend  seriousness  to  the 
task.  Let  the  lists  thus  drawn  up  be  gone  over  by  a 
canvassing  committee,  in  order  that  each  class  may 
be  definitely  assigned  certain  individuals  whom  it 
is  to  bring  in,  having  them  present  if  possible  next 
Sunday.  "Where  the  field  is  shared  with  other 
evangelical  Sunday  schools,  steps  should  of  course 
be  taken  to  forestall  attempts  at  proselyting.  If 
possible,  let  all  the  schools  unite  in  one  concerted 
appeal.  Close  the  preparatory  exercise  with  earnest 
prayer  for  those  we  desire  to  reach,  and  for  those 
who  will  try  this  week  to  win  them. 

Gospel  Salesmanship. — A  good  follow-up  talk  for 
the  Sunday  after  this  start  will  be  a  little  lesson  on 
the  principles  of  salesmanship.  Books,  sewing-ma- 
chines, life  insurance  and  the  blessings  of  Sunday- 
school  attendance  are  sold  under  the  same  set  of  rules ; 
for  in  each  case  we  are  dealing  with  human  nature. 
The  "prospect "  must  be  persuaded  to  give  up  some- 


58      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

thiDg  of  value  to  him — his  Suoday  nap,  maybe — in 
exchange  for  the  goods  we  have  to  offer.  By  the 
rules  of  selling  science  the  canvasser  has  these  four 
things  to  do  : 

1.  Secure  the  prospect's  favorable  attention.  We 
must  make  him  and  his  our  friends  (Acts  xii.  20). 
He  must  be  in  such  an  attitude  towards  us  that  any- 
thing we  may  propose  he  will  feel  like  doing. 

2.  Gain  his  interest.  We  must  have  a  story  to 
tell  that  will  make  him  listeu,  ask  questions,  revolve 
our  words  in  his  own  mind.  An^^thing  in  the  Sun- 
day school's  work  that  is  new,  creditable  and  surpris- 
ing will  make  good  selling  talk,  if  it  is  on  a  line  that 
will  probably  appeal  to  him.  Somethiug  that  a  class 
or  a  pupil  did  well  would  be  interestiug  to  one  of  the 
same  age.  Some  feature  that  greatly  interests  the 
canvasser  is  likely  to  prove  interesting  to  the  one  to 
whom  it  is  enthusiastically  described.  An  exhibit 
that  can  be  shown  to  the  eye  is  sure  to  interest  if 
properly  explained. 

3.  Arouse  his  desire.  This  interest  must  be  led 
rapidly  to  the  point  where  the  prospect  will  want  to 
share  in  these  good  times,  these  interesting  and  in- 
structive lessons,  these  spiritually  searching  and 
moving  talks,  prayers  and  songs,  these  helpful  class 
activities  for  Jesus.  As  the  Japanese  schoolgirls  in 
a  government  school  said  when  they  heard  of  the 
movement  for  united  Sunday-school  work  in  that 
beautiful  land,  ''Where  so  much  that  is  grand  and 
noble  is  being  undertaken,  shall  we  be  left  out?" 
Take  high  ground  :  appeal  to  the  deep  desire  of  every 
soul,  even  of  wayward  boys  and  girls,  for  higher  and 
better  things.     But  desire  for  social  pleasure,  com- 


Increased  Attendance  59 

pauionship,  music,  pictures,  books  to  read,  artistic 
hand- work  to  try  one^s  skill  on — these  reasonable  de- 
sires must  be  played  upon  also.  Exhaust  every  le- 
gitimate device  to  make  the  prospect  want  to  come. 

4.  Lead  him  to  action.  As  the  good  housekeeper 
hovers  over  her  syrup,  to  note  the  precise  moment  when 
the  deep -colored,  steaming  pailful  of  deliciousness  is 
ready  to  "jell  "  ;  as  the  angler  eyes  his  bobbing  cork, 
with  his  eager  fingers  clutching  the  still  motionless 
rod  ;  so  must  the  canvasser  watch  his  prospect  for  the 
moment  when  desire  should  crystallize  itself  in  action, 
and  be  ready  with  his  proposition.  Just  what  is  done 
is  mere  detail.  Shaking  hands  on  the  promise  to 
come  to  school  next  Sunday  is  the  simplest  substitute 
for  the  "sign  here"  of  the  wily  agent.  But  some 
definite  committal  there  must  be ;  and  it  must  be 
followed  up  at  once  in  such  a  way  as  to  close  the 
loophole  of  changed  mind  and  re-decision.  Let  the 
canvasser  report  immediately  his  success  to  the 
superintendent  or  the  teacher  ;  and  let  the  prospect's 
next  mail  contain  a  letter  of  welcome,  with  some  ar- 
rangement regarding  the  new  member's  presence  and 
place  in  school  next  Sunday.  To  make  the  newcomer 
feel,  "I  must  be  there;  they  are  expecting  me,"  is 
obvious  wisdom. 

While  these  canvassing  methods  are  primarily  for 
the  securing  of  pupils  rather  than  teachers  and 
officers,  it  will  often  happen  that  among  the  listed 
prospects  is  some  one  whom  the  superintendent  covets 
for  a  certain  place  in  the  working  force.  For  several 
reasons  it  is  usually  wise  first  to  bring  in  such  a 
person  as  a  member  of  the  adult  or  senior  class,  or 
perhaps   as   a    temporary  helper  without   responsi- 


6o      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

bility.  Let  the  recruit  first  qualify  as  a  private 
before  receiving  his  officer's  commission.  At  the 
celebration  of  the  semi-centennial  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Eailroad,  a  high  officer  of  that  great  system 
declared  that  in  all  its  fifty  years  the  railroad  had 
never  hired  a  conductor  or  an  engineer  or  a  superin- 
tendent. Every  one  had  been  raised  from  the  ranks. 
If  a  strong  and  hearty  school  spirit  is  needful  to  the 
success  of  the  little  Sunday  school,  here  is  a  good  way 
to  insure  its  development  and  preservation. 

The  Extension  Departments. — If  the  Sunday 
school  is  to  serve  the  whole  community,  two  sets  of 
people  must  be  provided  for  who  cannot  ordinarily 
become  regular  attendants — the  babies  and  the  shut- 
ins.  In  the  former  class  are  all  infants  and  all  chil- 
dren too  young  to  become  attending  members  of  the 
school.  Distances,  bad  roads,  muddy  walking  and 
other  special  rural  drawbacks  tend  to  make  mothers 
in  the  country  keep  the  little  ones  of  three  and  four 
at  home  where  in  the  city  they  would  go  to  Sunday 
school  without  a  question.  Doubtless  this  tendency 
can  be  largely  overcome  when  a  capable  and  enter- 
prising beginners'  teacher  takes  hold  and  convinces 
the  mothers  that  they  can  and  should  overcome  ob- 
stacles and  provide  for  every  beginner's  presence  in 
class  every  Sunday.  But  as  this  condition  is  far 
from  prevalent  as  yet,  it  remains  true  that  good 
cradle-roll  work  is  more  needful  in  the  country  than 
in  the  city,  because  more  of  the  country  children  are 
kept  at  home. 

The  life  of  the  shut-ins,  also,  is  more  isolated  and 
monotonous  in  the  country  than  where  passers-by  are 
numerous  and  there  is  always  something  going  on. 


Increased  Attendance  6l 

Mothers  with  youug  childreD,  the  aged  and  infirm, 
chronic  invalids,  and  occasionally  persons  employed 
on  tasks  which  interfere  with  Sunday-school  attend- 
ance, are  to  be  found  in  the  average  country  field, 
and  the  little  Sunday  school  owes  them  its  ministry 
of  cheer,  fellowshii)  and  Bible  study.  Hence  the 
home  department  as  well  as  the  cradle  roll  should  be 
counted  not  merely  feasible  projects  but  necessary 
parts  of  the  little  Sunday  school,  even  if  some  already 
busy  worker  has  to  add  one  or  both  of  these  responsi- 
bilities to  her  busy  life.  Before  starting  the  canvass 
suggested  under  the  former  heading,  plan  for  a  home 
department  and  a  cradle  roll,  if  these  are  not  already 
at  work,  and  let  the  enrolling  of  members  in  both 
these  adjunct  departments  form  part  of  the  work. 

Properly  handled  and  pushed,  each  of  these  lines 
of  work  may  be  made  a  notable  feeder  to  the  school's 
attending  membership.  Many  an  otherwise  godless 
and  indifferent  or  religiously  hostile  home  has  been 
won  for  Christ  through  the  school's  interest  in  the 
baby.  Many  such  families  every  year  are  drawn 
into  happy  relation  to  school  and  church  before  the 
little  one  is  ready  to  come  to  school  as  a  beginner. 
Many  a  home  department  member  who  reluctantly 
accepted  the  quarterly  and  grudgingly  promised  the 
half-hour-a-week  minimum  of  lesson  study  and  the 
quarterly  record  and  offering  has  ripened  into  an 
earnest  student  of  the  Word  ;  and  thousands  of  these 
every  quarter  find  that,  now  they  care  for  the  lessons, 
the  hindrances  to  their  regular  attendance  on  the 
adult  class  are  not  so  insuperable  after  all.  Good 
teachers  and  officers,  also,  are  not  infrequently  gradu- 
ated from  the  home  department  ranks. 


62      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

The  true  ideal  for  both  these  departments  is  some- 
thiDg  beyond  the  familiar  cradle  roll  and  home  de- 
partment routine.  They  properly  form  part  of  the 
church's  Department  of  the  Home.  Whatever  tends 
to  make  home  happier,  more  efi&cieut,  more  godly 
and  a  better  support  for  the  educational  work  of  the 
Sunday  school  and  the  church,  is  fit  matter  for  the 
real  Home  Department  to  embody  in  its  program. 
When  the  little  school  is  ready  to  enter  upon  this 
vast  and  inviting  sphere  of  religious  influence  and 
activity,  there  are  books  and  tools  in  plenty  to  aid  it 
in  wise  and  effective  endeavor  to  win  the  homes  for 
Jesus  and  make  each  one  an  extension  station  in  the 
work  of  church  and  school. 


lY 
RUNNING  BY  THE  WEEK 

The  Superintendent  a  Teacher. — In  the  little 
Sunday  school,  the  superintendent  is  compelled  to  do 
much  of  the  teaching  himself  by  the  fact  that  all  his 
classes  ordinarily  meet  in  one  room.  The  elementary 
department  programs  of  our  graded  Sunday-school 
experts  provide  for  a  large  amount  of  desk  teaching, 
over  and  above  what  is  taught  by  the  class  teachers 
in  connection  with  the  graded  lesson.  Some  of  this 
is  memory  drill  on  supplemental  lesson  matter  ;  some 
of  it  is  instruction  in  missions,  temperance  and  other 
topics ;  some  is  character- culture  through  birthday 
and  fellowship  exercises,  giving,  singing,  thanksgiv- 
ing and  prayer.  With  beautiful  art  all  this  is  ar- 
ranged to  fit  the  children's  needs,  so  that  in  each  of 
the  three  elementary  departments,  beginners,  pri- 
mary and  junior,  the  pupil  as  the  years  pass  shall 
grow  and  develop  in  Christian  character,  living  as 
well  as  learning  each  week  in  accordance  with  his 
unfolding  needs  and  powers. 

With  one  room  for  all  the  classes,  much  of  this  de- 
partmental program  work  (fortunately  not  all)  is  im- 
practicable. The  child's  spiritual  needs,  however, 
are  not  less  because  we  have  one  room  instead  of  four 
to  teach  him  in.  The  responsibility  for  giving  to 
every  child  in  the  little  school  as  much  as  possible  of 
what  the  three  elementary  departments  would  give 

63 


64      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

him  is  laid  upon  the  superintendent  of  the  little  Sun- 
day school.     Part  of  this  trust  he  may  pass  over  to 
the  teachers  of  these  children  ;  but  that  which  must 
come  to  them  through  music,  prayer  and  other  con 
certed  exercises  rests  with  him. 

The  superintendent,  therefore,  should  seize  any 
opportunity  that  may  come  to  him,  at  a  convention 
or  institute,  to  learn  what  the  primary  and  junior 
leaders  have  to  teach  as  to  methods  of  departmental 
program  work.  The  kindergarten  ways  of  the  begin- 
ners may  not  be  usable  by  him ;  but  many  of  the 
doings  in  a  good  primary  room  are  full  of  suggestion 
for  his  own  desk  use  j  and,  in  the  good  junior  depart- 
ment, much  of  what  he  sees  may  be  bodily  taken 
over.  There  are  of  course  many  department  super- 
intendents of  experience  and  local  repute  who  have 
not  yet  learned  the  modern  ways,  and  the  superin- 
tendent who  visits  their  rooms  will  do  so  as  a  student 
rather  than  a  copyist.  But  even  so,  much  can  be 
learned  by  the  visitor  who  can  think  as  well  as  see 
and  hear. 

The  Weekly  Routine. — If  even  ordinary  good 
work  is  to  be  done  by  the  average  superintendent  of 
the  little  school,  to  say  nothing  of  such  artistic  lead- 
ership as  we  have  just  been  considering,  he  will  have 
to  bring  his  preparatory  labors  down  to  a  narrow 
routine,  that  can  be  fitted  into  the  crowded  hours  of 
his  busy  life.  We  are  laying  out  a  Sunday-school 
job  for  a  man  who  thought  he  had  a  strong  man^s 
load  to  carry  already.  What  cannot  be  done  in  one 
or  two  evenings  each  week,  or  turned  over  to  other 
hands,  will  have  to  wait  undone.  We  might  as  well 
face  the  facts. 


Running  by  the  Week  65 

Monday  and  Friday  eveniDgs,  let  iis  arbitrarily 
suppose,  are  set  apart  by  the  superinteudeiit  for  his 
Sunday-school  work,  in  addition  to  the  actual  time 
of  the  session  and  the  time  just  before  starting  for 
school  or  church.  The  first  evening  may  be  given  to 
inspection  of  records,  general  preparation  and  cor- 
respondence or  telephoning  to  secure  cooperation  ; 
the  second  to  personal  preparation  for  his  own  plat- 
form work. 

On  Monday  evening,  then,  the  superintendent  will 
go  over  the  class  records,  noting  who  are  falling  off 
in  attendance  and  so  need  a  message  or  visit,  what 
classes  are  increasing  in  size  and  interest  and  how 
the  general  totals  compare  with  past  records.  Si^ecial 
needs  like  the  illness  or  resignation  of  a  teacher,  the 
approach  of  a  festival  season  or  the  call  for  some  ad 
ditional  supplies,  may  now  be  considered  and  pro- 
vided for  or  prepared  for  submission  to  the  next 
workers^  conference.  With  these  matters  cleared 
away,  a  few  birthday  letters  may  be  written,  or  a 
message  of  encouragement  sent  to  a  worker  who  is 
having  a  hard  time. 

Friday  night  will  then  be  free  for  planning  next 
Sunday's  program  and  thinking  ahead  for  the  Sun- 
days to  come.  The  plans  for  the  current  quarter  and 
the  calendar  for  the  year  ^  will  determine  to  a  certain 
extent  what  is  to  be  done  each  Sunday.  Completing 
these  plans,  the  superintendent  will  prepare  himself 
to  carry  them  out.  How  the  order  of  worship  is  to 
be  conducted,  what  hymns  are  to  be  sung,  who  be- 
sides himself  are  to  take  part  and  how,  what  Bible 
selection  he  will  read,  how  he  will  pray  and  what 
*  See  Chapters  V  and  VI. 


66      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

shall  be  the  substance  of  his  brief  talk  from  the  desk, 
must  all  be  thought  out  aud  made  ready.  A  good 
teacher  would  work  as  hard  in  preparing  to  meet  a 
single  class  ;  but  the  superintendent  is  responsible 
for  a  full  half  of  next  Sunday's  opportunity  for  the 
whole  school. 

Notes  on  a  Rural  Program. — In  order  that  the 
superintendent  of  the  average  little  Sunday  school 
may  have  a  chance  to  see  himself  at  work,  the  fol- 
lowing is  submitted  for  his  inspection.  Is  this  a  fair 
statement  of  the  way  a  session  of  the  little  country 
Sunday  school  is  frequently  run  ? 

Open  school  at  the  usual  hour,  provided  the 
organist  is  not  late. 

Pass  around  Bibles,  hymn-books  and  lesson 
leaves. 

Sing  one  or  two  hymns. 

Bead  the  lesson  for  the  day,  responsively. 

Lead  the  school  in  prayer. 

Sing  another  hymn. 

Secretary  reads  the  minutes  of  last  Sunday's  session 
and  calls  the  roll  of  officers  and  teachers. 

Sing  the  lesson  hymn. 

Lesson  study  for  twenty  or  twenty- five  minutes. 
The  superintendent  teaches  a  class. 

Secretary  takes  up  the  offering  and  marks  the  at- 
tendance, soon  after  the  teachers  begin. 

Librarian  gives  out  books  and  papers,  a  little  be- 
fore the  teachers  close. 

School  called  to  order  without  notice.     Singing. 

Call  for  title,  golden  text  and  catechism  question 
for  the  day  ;  sometimes  ask  ''desk  questions"  on  the 
lesson.  School  responds  by  reading  from  the  lesson 
leaves. 

Secretary  reports  attendance  for  the  day,  number 
of  visitors  and  collection  by  classes. 


Running  by  the  Week  67 

Notices  and  remarks ;  sometimes  a  talk  on  the 
lesson.     Singing. 

The  Lord's  Prayer  in  concert,  standing. 
Dismissal. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  thousands  of  little  Sunday 
schools  are  being  run  to-day  in  not  nearly  so  busi- 
nesslike and  orderly  a  fashion  as  this  program  indi- 
cates. There  are  elements  of  moral  strength  in  it 
which  all  makers  of  Sunday-school  programs  ought 
to  study  and  emulate.  Nevertheless  it  is  not  all  it 
ought  to  be.  Let  us  see  wherein  it  could  be  improved 
on. 

That  waiting  on  the  organist  needs  cutting  out,  to 
begin  with.  How  ?  If  the  superintendent  can  raise 
the  tune,  or  has  any  one  among  his  punctual  helpers 
who  can,  let  him  announce  that  next  Sunday  the 
school  will  start  on  the  minute  ;  and  when  the  tardy 
organist  arrives,  let  her  discover  that  the  world  can 
move  without  her  after  all.  That  is  one  way.  An- 
other is  to  appoint  an  ambitious  young  musician  as 
assistant  organist,  whose  duties  shall  include  opening 
the  school  if  her  principal  is  not  on  the  bench  at  the 
minute  set  for  starting. 

The  distribution  of  supplies  is  a  task  educationally 
valuable  as  an  activity  for  a  class  of  boys.  Do  not 
waste  it  by  doing  the  work  yourself  or  letting  the 
secretary  do  it.  Oversee  it ;  but  put  the  work  up  to 
a  small  committee  of  juniors,  who  must  be  there  each 
week  in  time  to  attend  to  their  task. 

Never  sing  hymns  in  bulk.  Never  use  the  language 
of  worship  as  a  mere  means  of  filling  in  time.  The 
pastor  who  said  during  prayer- meeting  one  cold  night, 
*^  In  order  that  the  sexton  may  have  a  chance  to  poke 


68      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

the  fire,  we  will  slug,  'Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee,'^' 
was  franker  than  the  average  superintendent,  but  not 
so  very  different.  Sing  nothing  that  is  not  actually 
needed  in  your  program  plan.  Most  schools  sing  too 
many  hymns  and  have  far  too  little  of  real  worship 
in  song. 

Why  read  the  uniform  lesson  for  the  day  ?  Be- 
cause the  passage  is  printed  on  the  lesson  leaves'? 
The  leaves  are  useful  in  their  place,  but  they  do  not 
take  the  place  of  the  Bible.  Because  we  desire  to 
help  the  class  work?  Experience  shows  that  the 
practice  does  not  help  ;  it  hinders.  When  did  any 
pupil  ever  know  an  answer  to  a  lesson  question  be- 
cause he  had  just  joined  in  reading  the  lesson  verses? 
Liturgic  use  and  lesson  use  of  the  Bible  are  two  en- 
tirely different  things.  If  the  passage  makes  a  good 
class  lesson,  it  will  probably  make  a  poor  desk  lesson. 
Passages  that  make  fine  desk  lessons  for  responsive 
reading  are  not  interesting  for  use  by  teachers  in 
class.  Even  if  we  are  not  yet  ready,  then,  to  abandon 
the  uniform  lesson  for  class  use,  let  us  cease  to  use  it 
as  our  reading  lesson.  We  can  do  better  for  our 
school,  every  way. 

As  to  the  prayer,  how  much  more  helpful  a  prayer 
is  to  the  worshipers  when  it  is  brief  and  concerned 
with  a  specific  object !  Divide  the  praying.  Near 
the  opening  have  an  "invocation,"  briefly  asking 
God's  blessing  on  the  day's  work,  and  closing  with 
the  Lord's  Prayer.  Before  the  lesson  have  a  general 
prayer,  still  brief,  but  covering  the  school's  needs 
and  feelings  for  that  day.  At  the  close  have  a  brief 
closing  i^rayer ;  or,  if  the  pastor  is  present,  ask  him 
to  dismiss  the  school  with  the  benediction.     Try  to 


Running  by  the  Week  69 

have  one  or  more  in  the  force  besides  yourself  who 
can  pray  in  public.  Let  one  of  these  sometimes 
make  the  general  prayer.  Always  notify  such  in 
advance. 

The  idea  of  reading  the  minutes  has  been  brought 
over  from  lodges  and  societies.  In  these  bodies  the 
reading  of  minutes  is  essential,  for  they  are  organiza- 
tions whose  present  action  is  based  on  the  action 
taken  at  the  last  meeting.  The  Sunday  school  is  not 
such  a  society,  except  when  it  goes  into  business 
session  ;  and  even  then  its  action  is  likely  to  be  based 
on  present  need  rather  than  past  decisions.  Cut  out 
the  minutes.  Who  cares  what  last  Sunday's  weather 
was,  or  who  prayed  !  Eecord  these  facts,  but  spare 
the  school  the  reading  of  them.  They  are  material 
for  the  secretary's  quarterly  and  annual  reports,  when 
they  will  work  up  into  interesting  statistics.  A  brief 
report,  near  the  close  of  school,  giving  the  facts  of 
attendance  and  offering  for  the  day,  is  all  that  is 
needed  on  this  score. 

Much  the  same  may  be  said  as  to  the  roll  call.  It 
may  have  some  value  in  shaming  a  careless  worker 
into  more  regular  attendance ;  but  more  probably  it 
is  not  worth  the  time  and  attention  it  costs.  The 
school  has  only  so  much  sit-still  capacity,  and  every 
draft  upon  it  leaves  that  much  less  for  lessons  and 
worship.     Record  these  attendances  silently. 

The  time  allowed  for  class  study  in  most  little 
Sunday  schools  is  shamefully  short.  The  senior  and 
adult  classes  should  whenever  possible  have  forty- 
five  minutes  or  an  hour.  If  these  can  betake  them- 
selves to  any  other  place  for  class  study,  let  them 
stay  to  the  end  and  dismiss  separately,  of  course 


yo      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

with  a  closing  prayer.  Thirty -five  minutes  will  suit 
the  intermediates  and  juniors  very  well,  if  the 
latter  at  least  are  working  on  the  graded  lessons  and 
have  desks  or  tables  on  which  to  do  hand-work  for 
parfc  of  the  time.  The  primary  class  and  even  more 
the  beginners  cannot  sit  still  so  long  :  let  them  there- 
fore change  seats  quietly  and  turn  from  one  kind  of 
lesson  work  to  another.  Class  curtains  or  screens 
will  make  this  quite  possible.  Cut  out  ten  minutes 
from  the  old-fashioned  program,  allowing  thirty -five 
minutes  for  the  teaching  time. 

It  may  sometimes  be  necessary  for  the  superin- 
tendent to  carry  a  class  temporarily ;  but  even  in  a 
very  small  school  he  should  be  free  to  oversee  the 
classes,  welcome  visitors,  prei^are  for  the  next  duties 
and  substitute  in  emergencies.  No  superintendent 
can  be  a  regular  teacher  and  also  take  proper  care  of 
his  school. 

Whether  the  teachers^  time  be  long  or  short,  every 
minute  of  it  should  be  theirs  without  interruption . 
Three  minutes,  regularly  appointed  at  a  certain  time 
in  the  opening  service,  should  be  set  apart  for  the 
marking  of  records  and  the  taking  of  the  ofiering  in 
classes  ;  and  the  collections  should  be  made  by  the 
secretary  and  the  treasurer  in  a  dignified  way,  with- 
out delay  and  without  confusion.  To  break  in  on  a 
teacher  while  he  is  opening  up  his  lesson  is  a  crime 
against  good  education.  To  distribute  books  and 
papers  just  as  the  closing  points  are  being  made  is 
even  worse.  Do  all  that  just  before  the  classes  are 
dismissed  from  their  seats,  or  else  at  the  door. 

Teachers  are  entitled  to  two  or  three  minutes' 
notice  before  the  school  is  called  to  order  for  the 


Running  by  the  Week  7 1 

closing  service.  This  should  be  so  given  as  not  to 
interrupt  class  work.  The  simjilest  form  of  notice 
is  one  tap  on  the  bell.  Where  the  school  has  a  soft- 
toned  organ  or  a  piano,  and  an  accompanist  who  is 
musician  enough  to  know  how  to  play  softly  and  re- 
ligiously, let  music  carry  the  message  that  in  two  or 
three  minutes  lesson  work  will  be  over.  A  violinist 
could  do  this,  if  he  played  softly  enough,  but  not  a 
cornetist :  his  tones  would  make  further  teaching  im- 
possible. 

About  one  superintendent  in  fifty  can  profitably 
say  the  last  word  on  the  lesson,  after  his  teachers 
have  done  their  best ;  and  he  will  probably  be  wise 
enough  not  to  say  it.  The  other  forty- nine  should 
do  their  desk  talking  before  the  lesson  period,  leav- 
ing nothing  to  the  close  but  the  secretary's  report 
and  a  reverent  dismissal.  Any  catechism  or  other 
supplemental  lesson  needed  by  the  school  should 
come  in  ahead  of  the  teacher's  lesson,  so  that  that 
may  be  free  to  make  its  closing  impression  on  heart 
and  life.  Notices  should  be  given  when  the  records 
and  offerings  are  taken.  Everything  that  the  whole 
school  should  hear  belongs  in  the  opening  service. 
After  that  the  class  work  has  the  right  of  way. 

Many  forms  of  reverent  dismissal  may  be  used 
besides  the  Lord's  Prayer.  The  Doxology  is  always 
in  order  as  a  closing  verse.  The  Aaronic  benedic- 
tion (Numbers  vi.  24-26),  or  any  of  the  benedictions 
at  the  close  of  Paul's  Epistles,  may  be  made  into 
simple  prayers  by  changing  the  pronoun  "thee"  or 
*^you"  to  "us"  ;  and  as  such  they  may  be  used 
with  perfect  propriety  by  a  layman,  or  recited  in  con- 
cert like  the  rather  overworked  Mizpah  benediction. 


72      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Benedictions,  moreover,  do  not  necessarily  call  for 
a  standing  attitude.  If  the  school  is  taught  to  sing 
the  last  hymn  sitting,  a  quiet,  devotional  hymn  be- 
ing chosen,  and  if  after  the  hymn  they  are  taught  to 
bend  or  kneel  in  reverence,  saying  together  the  bene- 
diction prayer  and  then  a  silent  prayer  for  God's 
blessing  and  help,  the  organist  breaking  the  silence 
with  the  soft  strains  of  a  hymn-tune,  a  far  more  im- 
pressive and  worshipful  close  can  be  had  than  with 
a  tingling  march-song,  a  few  formal  words  and  a 
breaking  of  ranks  while  still  standing.  The  distri- 
butions, also,  can  be  swiftly  made  while  the  school 
is  still  seated,  the  classes  leaving  as  each  is  supplied. 

In  the  light  of  these  suggestions,  let  the  reader 
now  rewrite  that  program,  correcting  it  into  what  he 
thinks  its  proper  shape  should  be. 

Class  Instruction. — To  see  that  each  class  has  a 
prepared  teacher,  that  every  needed  facility  for  good 
class  work  is  ready,  and  that  the  work  of  each  class 
is  protected  from  curtailment  or  interruption,  will 
require  planning  and  effort  on  the  superintendent's 
part.  It  is  however  his  most  important  duty.  If 
this  is  successfully  done,  everything  else  becomes 
relatively  easy.  Attendance  takes  care  of  itself  if 
there  is  always  a  smiling  teacher,  a  comfortable 
place,  a  good  lesson  and  an  undisturbed  period.  To 
insure  this,  one  or  two  good  substitutes  must  be 
within  reach,  and  each  teacher  must  learn  that 
absence  without  notice  or  presence  without  a  pre- 
pared lesson  are  not  tolerated  under  this  adminis- 
tration. 

If  the  teacher,  however,  is  to  acquire  the  habit 
of  making  full  preparation,  and  the  class  is  to  learn 


Running  by  the  Week  73 

the  joy  of  steady  and  progressive  lesson  work,  there 
must  be  an  end  of  all  irregularity  in  the  lesson  time. 
With  rigid  regularity,  at  a  certain  hour  and  minute 
each  Sunday,  the  lesson  period  must  begin ;  and 
with  equal  regularity  must  each  class  be  left  alone 
until  the  appointed  minutes  for  warning  and  close. 
If  a  chance  visitation  of  the  school,  or  the  superin- 
tendent's bright  idea  for  the  closing  service,  or  the 
excuse  that  this  is  Temperance  Sunday  or  Review 
Sunday  or  what  not,  is  to  mean  that  to-day  the 
teacher  who  planned  a  lesson  for  thirty-five  minutes 
is  to  get  but  twenty,  what  encouragement  has  that 
teacher  to  plan  again  ?  Something  might  be  as  im- 
portant as  the  lessons  our  teachers  are  to  teach  this 
Sunday  ;  but  nothing  can  be  as  important  as  good 
lessons  from  our  teachers  every  Sunday  :  and  the 
price  of  such  lessons  is  the  superintendent's  fixed 
will  to  maintain  lesson  routine. 

Unless  each  teacher  is  frequently  consulted  with 
and  if  necessary  helped  in  the  conduct  of  his  lesson 
work,  steady  educational  progress  in  each  class  will 
be  a  matter  of  chance  and  good  fortune  rather  than 
plan.  If  the  work  of  the  teachers  is  to  be  successful 
as  a  whole,  it  must  have  unity  ;  and  that  means  that 
it  must  be  led.  The  musicians  of  the  band  may  be 
better  players  than  the  leader,  but  they  need  him  not- 
withstanding.  Let  the  superintendent  or  his  director 
of  instruction  ask  each  teacher,  perhaps  once  a  month, 
to  tell  what  he  has  been  teaching  of  late,  how  the  class 
is  responding,  what  they  seem  to  have  learned  and 
decided  on  and  what  is  his  program  of  teaching  for 
the  month  to  come.  If  he  is  wrestling  with  a  hard 
problem  of  lessons  or  discipline,  help  him,  and  call 


74      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

in  whatever  other  help  may  be  within  reach.  At  the 
monthly  workers'  conference  let  each  in  turn  make 
such  a  report,  leading  to  a  discussion  of  the  difficulties 
involved.  Get  the  substitute  teachers  out  to  these 
conferences,  that  they  may  join  in  this  common  study 
of  class  problems. 

Desk  Instruction. — The  superintendent,  as  already 
remarked,  is  a  teacher.  His  lessons,  however,  are  not 
arranged  for  him  in  a  course  and  printed  in  a  quarterly. 
He  must  therefore  plan  his  lessons  as  well  as  teach 
them.  There  is  so  much  to  teach,  and  so  little  time 
in  which  to  teach  it,  that  it  is  surely  unwise  for  him 
to  spend  that  little  in  a  reteachiug  of  lessons  that  his 
teachers  have  taught  already.  Why  should  not  the 
superintendent  have  a  lesson  of  his  own  1 

Much  of  the  superintendent's  best  teaching  will  be 
unconscious  and  incidental.  His  punctual  arrival, 
his  reverent  demeanor,  his  firm  insistence  on  order 
and  punctuality  in  others,  his  courtesy  and  patience, 
his  regard  for  rights  and  feelings,  his  approval  of  the 
things  that  are  excellent,  will  all  teach.  But  besides 
these  unconscious  lessons  there  must  be  others,  if  the 
class  teaching  is  to  be  rounded  into  a  system  and  the 
school's  weekly  life  made  rich  and  full. 

The  school  must  be  taught  how  its  work  should  be 
done.  First  determine  what  point  needs  reforming 
and  who  are  the  leaders  whom  it  is  most  important  to 
set  right.  Do  all  that  can  be  done  through  private 
interviews  and  arrangements  with  these.  Then  plan 
to  reach  the  point  indirectly  by  some  desk  reference 
that  will  not  sound  like  a  complaint  or  an  exhorta- 
tion. "  As  there  seems  to  be  some  misunderstanding 
of  the  hour  when  our  services  begin,"  said  a  pastor 


Running  by  the  Week  7  j 

once,  quite  casually,  as  lie  gave  out  the  notices,  "I 
will  remark  that  our  morning  worship  begins  at  half- 
past  ten  o'clock."  The  rebuke  did  its  work  and  left 
no  sting.  ''  In  order  to  accommodate  those  whose  time 
is  unusually  valuable,"  the  superintendent,  as  winter 
comes  on,  might  likewise  say,  "  we  will  close  half  a 
minute  earlier  ;  and  that  will  make  it  unnecessary  for 
any  one  to  reach  for  his  overshoes  or  wriggle  into  his 
overcoat  while  we  are  singing  our  closing  words  of 
praise  to  God  or  asking  His  blessing  on  our  serv- 
ice. ' ' 

Other  lessons  are  needed  on  the  materials  of  wor- 
ship. We  approach  God  with  the  use  of  song, 
prayer  and  fitly  chosen  verses  from  His  Word.  If 
these  are  to  become  to  us  the  means  of  devotion,  we 
must  know  them  so  well  that  we  can  use  them  uncon- 
sciously, as  we  use  the  Lord's  Prayer  or  our  old  prayer- 
meeting  hymns.  Desk  lessons,  therefore,  are  needed 
on  these  things.  Take  for  instance  the  Long  Meter 
Doxology.  Study  it  word  by  word.  What  is  a 
blessing?  Name  a  few  of  the  things  you  count  bless- 
ings. How  do  they  come  into  our  lives — by  driblets, 
or  as  a  river  ?  They  ''  flow."  From  whom  1  ''AH 
creatures  " — who  and  what  are  included'?  Shall  the 
heathen  praise  God,  too  1  Why  1  If  we  sing  that  sec- 
ond line,  what  is  our  duty  as  to  these  heathen  ?  Is 
this  world  ''  here  below  "  the  only  world?  When  did 
that  ''heavenly  host"  sing  in  men's  ears?  Who 
make  up  the  Trinity?  Read  the  familiar  lines  again 
slowly  and  put  these  thoughts  into  them.  Spend  five 
minutes  or  less  with  the  school  on  this  lesson ;  then 
rise  and  sing  the  lines  as  a  song  of  gratitude  to  God. 

The  Twenty-third  Psalm,  divided  into  three  or  four 


76      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

lessoDS,  may  be  similarly  taught.  So  with  the  Apos- 
tles' Creed,  the  First  Psalm,  the  Two  Great  Command- 
ments, and  above  all  the  Lord's  Prayer.  If  material 
for  desk  lesson  teaching  is  needed,  here  it  is.  But 
the  superintendent  must  study  not  only  what  to  say 
but  how  to  teach  it  by  question,  remark  and  suggested 
illustration.  He  is  not  to  preach  or  exhort  on  these 
topics,  but  rather  to  stimulate  thought ;  and  his 
week's  lesson  must  snap  shut  in  five  or  at  most  seven 
minutes.     Never  relax  this  rule. 

On  another  Sunday  the  lesson  may  be  a  new  hymn. 
Be  forehanded  :  choose  the  hymn  and  tune  several 
weeks  ahead,  and  ask  the  organist  to  play  the  tune  as 
OlDening  music,  so  that  the  school  will  learn  it  uncon- 
sciously. Study  the  words  like  any  other  lesson,  so 
that  you  can  call  attention  to  that  strong  thought  in 
verse  three,  or  ask  a  question  as  to  what  is  meant  in 
such-and-such  a  line.  Waken  attention  ;  arouse  in- 
terest ;  let  all  read  the  hymn  together.  Then  let  the 
organist  play  the  now  familiar  tune,  and  the  new 
hymn  will  sing  itself.  The  leader  will  of  course  keep 
the  school  up  to  time,  correcting  drag  and  uncertainty, 
and  will  try  to  improve  the  attack  by  insisting  that 
all  start  off  on  the  very  first  note. 

Drills  on  the  books  of  the  Bible,  the  Ten  Command- 
ments and  the  catechism  or  other  brief  statement  of 
the  Church's  faith,  and  blackboard  map  lessons  on 
Palestine,  the  Sinai  Peninsula  and  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  worlds,  also  have  their  value,  if  the  super- 
intendent can  teach  briskly  and  write  and  draw  freely 
as  he  speaks.  Most  of  this  material,  however,  prop- 
erly belongs  in  a  course  of  correlated  graded  studies, 
to  be  taught  in  the  classes  at  the  proper  ages.     Such 


Running  by  the  Week  77 

desk  teachiug  may  be  iDtroduced  now  and  then  with 
good  effect  for  a  few  weeks,  until  some  one  bit  of 
knowledge  has  been  well  learned. 

Missionary  teaching  is  even  more  desirable.  The 
superintendent  should  prepare  himself  by  subscribing 
to  one  or  two  missionary  magazines,  buying  one  or 
more  from  among  the  multitude  of  interesting  mission- 
ary books  issued  every  year,  and  jotting  in  a  note-book 
some  items  that  will  interest  the  school.  Then  let 
him  devote  his  desk  talk  once  a  month  to  some  par- 
ticular missionary  hero  or  some  country  of  which  he 
has  read.  If  he  cares,  the  school  will  care.  Perhaps 
some  teacher  can  help  in  this  with  a  short  paper  on  a 
missionary  topic.  A  large  part  of  this  desk  teaching, 
in  fact,  may  profitably  be  given  by  teachers  and  older 
pupils ;  the  assignments  being  made  at  the  monthly 
meetings  of  the  workers'  conference. 

Official  Routine. — Neither  for  class  nor  for  desk 
instruction  will  there  be  the  proper  chance  unless  the 
superintendent,  as  manager,  sees  thoroughly  to  his 
Sunday  school's  routine.  In  a  great  hotel,  on  board 
ship,  on  the  train,  everywhere  we  go,  we  see  that 
smoothness  of  living  and  liberty  to  do  one's  work  at 
ease  comes  through  rigid  insistence  on  the  small  de- 
tails of  the  great  task.  So  the  superintendent  must 
work  out  with  his  secretary  j  ust  how  and  when  the 
class  supplies  are  to  be  distributed  and  collected,  how 
class  attention  can  be  saved,  when  and  how  new  sup- 
plies are  to  be  ordered  and  how  reports  are  to  be 
made  up  and  published.  With  the  accompanist  he 
must  arrange  what  preludes  and  announcing  music 
are  to  be  played,  what  new  hymns  are  to  be  learned, 
and  which  hymns  are  to  be  started  with  a  single 


yS      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

chord  instead  of  being  played  through.  The  tiniest 
detail  is  important  if  it  helps  some  one  to  do  better 
work  or  increases  the  chance  for  a  good  impression. 
This  principle  is  valid  for  the  little  school  no  less 
than  for  that  of  five  hundred. 

If  each  helper  were  well  educated  and  resourceful, 
competent  himself  to  lead  the  school,  it  would  still  help 
him  to  have  a  fixed  routine  to  go  by.  The  superin- 
tendent himself  needs  that.  But  for  the  young  or  the 
slow  and  ill-trained  helper,  routine  is  indispensable. 
Show  such  a  one  exactly  what  is  expected  of  him  each 
week;  commend  him  frequently  for  his  regularity 
and  the  helpfulness  of  his  work  ;  so  arrange  that  the 
school  as  well  as  the  leader  will  notice  his  faithful- 
ness ;  and  then,  having  provided  for  these  functions, 
set  about  the  training  of  some  other  ofiicial  machine. 
Watch  for  weaknesses,  friction,  overlap  and  all  other 
kinds  of  inefficiency.  Ask,  By  what  increase  of  offi- 
cial service  could  that  defect  be  provided  for  !  The 
more  efficient  the  Sunday-school  machine  becomes, 
the  easier  it  will  be  to  secure  the  services  of  a  new 
officer. 

The  'Worshiping  Sunday  School. — The  highest 
work  of  all  in  the  Sunday  school  is  its  worship.  In 
worship  we  draw  near  to  God.  We  believe  that  He 
is,  and  so  come  before  Him.  We  commune  with  Him 
in  praise,  Bible  reading  and  prayer,  telling  Him  our 
thoughts  and  letting  Him  speak  to  us  in  the  Word 
and  through  His  Spirit's  voice  in  our  souls.  We  fear 
and  reverence  Him,  believing  that  He  is  the  Ee- 
warder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  Him,  and  that, 
as  a  jealous  God,  He  will  not  accept  unworthy  and 
divided  service.    We  offer  ourselves  to  Him,  sealing 


Running  by  the  Week  79 

our  siucerity  with  a  gift,  an  act  of  communion  or  a 
vow.  If  ours  is  a  Christian  Sunday  school,  how  can 
its  session  be  complete  without  worship  i  If  worship 
is  what  has  j  ust  been  stated,  how  can  we  designate  as 
worship  such  *' opening  exercises"  as  those  with 
which  our  sessions  too  often  begin  ? 

We  need  first  of  all  to  realize  that  worship,  like  its 
divine  Object,  is  jealous.  Worship  will  not  mix  with 
bustle,  or  with  instruction,  much  less  with  irreverence 
and  disorder.  A  time  must  be  set  apart  in  our  session 
when  we  do  nothing  else  but  worship  God.  In  this 
worship  all  in  the  room,  old  and  young,  will  heartily 
join.  It  may  be  but  for  five  minutes  ;  but  through- 
out that  five  minutes  we  must  lead  the  school  in  what 
some  one  has  called  "  the  practice  of  the  presence  of 
God."  The  natural  time  for  this  will  be  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  session  ;  but  a  little  school  which  found  it 
impossible  to  overcome  a  straggling  entrance  of  mem- 
bers might  transfer  the  period  to  the  close.  The 
superintendent's  leadership  must  extend  to  his  own 
conduct  and  state  of  mind  :  as  priest  of  the  worship- 
ing company  he  must  humble  his  own  heart  before 
the  shriue. 

What  order  of  worship  shall  be  followed  is  not 
essential  if  the  spirit  of  worship  is  present.  It  is  best 
to  begin  with  a  call  to  worship,  repeated  each  Sunday 
until  a  new  service  is  adopted.  '^  The  Lord  is  in  His 
holy  temple  "  is  a  familiar  example  of  such  a  call. 
Then  let  the  organist  strike  a  chord,  at  which  the 
school  will  rise  and  sing  one  or  two  verses  of  a  strong 
but  familiar  hymn,  or  the  Doxology.  Still  standing, 
let  them  repeat  some  devotional  Scripture  sentences, 
or  the  Creed.     Follow  this  with  a  prayer  and  the 


8o      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Lord's  Prayer;  tlicD  sing  a  bymu  expressive  of  real 
devotion,  consecration  and  faith.  Eesuming  seats, 
^ith  latecomers  now  admitted,  repeat  together  "I 
was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me  "  (Ps.  cxxii.  1),  or 
some  similar  verse,  and  a  verse  or  two  about  giving. 
The  class  records  may  now  quietly  be  marked  and 
the  offerings  taken.  At  a  signal  each  class  secretary 
will  rise  and  come  forward  with  the  offering  envelope, 
depositing  the  same  at  the  desk  and  bowing  in  a  word 
of  concert  prayer.  Another  song-verse,  or  the 
"Gloria''  sung  standing,  may  conclude  the  worship 
period  ;  the  desk  lesson  following.  This  is  one  way  ; 
there  are  jnany  others. 

A  Sunday  school  whose  opening  moments  are  mo- 
ments of  reverent  and  humble  approach  to  God  will 
carry  the  same  spirit  into  its  lesson  time  and  on  into 
its  week  of  living  the  lessons  learned.  A  school 
which  every  week  seeks  and  finds  the  way  to  God 
will  find  it  no  hard  task  to  lead  the  little  ones  to  Jesus 
and  to  win  even  the  careless  and  ungodly  to  the  Ee- 
deemer's  fold. 


EUNNING  BY  THE  QUAETER 

The  Sunday-School  Calendar. — Every  Sunday 
school  iustiDctively  follows  a  calendar.  Certain  ob- 
servances, year  after  year,  take  place  at  times  more 
or  less  definitely  fixed  ,*  and  these  observances  serve 
to  divide  the  year  into  terms  which  in  some  cases  are 
almost  as  definite  as  those  of  the  public  school.  The 
idea  of  attaching  an  educational  value  to  these  terms, 
however,  of  making  each  stand  for  a  purposeful  effort 
to  win  certain  results,  has  not  heretofore  been  con- 
spicuous in  our  planning.  Under  the  uniform  lesson 
system  such  an  effort  was  scheduled  for  Review  Sun- 
day at  the  close  of  each  quarter.  But  the  call  then 
made  for  the  results  of  the  quarter's  teaching  seldom 
took  hold  of  the  life  of  the  school  and  was  frequently 
omitted  altogether.  In  this  chapter  we  shall  try  to 
see  how  real  educational  results,  quarter  by  quarter, 
may  be  sought  for  and  obtained. 

The  calendar  of  the  little  Sunday  school  in  the 
country  and  of  its  big  city  cousin  are  not  in  all  re- 
spects the  same.  The  four  main  festivals  of  the 
average  American  Sunday  school — Easter,  Children's 
Day,  Rally  Day  and  Christmas — are  observed  with 
equal  zeal  in  city  and  country.  Each  ought  to  run 
on  a  twelve-months'  year,  and  usually  does  so  when 
firmly  led.  Each  has,  roughly  speaking,  nine  good 
months  and  three  poor  months  in  its  year.     The 

81 


82      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

third  calendar  quarter,  July  to  September,  is  the 
weak  time  for  the  city  school.  The  first  quarter, 
January  to  March,  is  the  correspond! ug  hard  time  for 
the  little  school  in  the  rural  districts. 

The  superintendent  who  would  be  an  educational 
leader  must  have  a  yearly  plan  v»^hich,  while  taking- 
full  account  of  the  people's  customs  and  feelings,  is 
based  not  on  them  but  rather  on  what  his  Sunday 
school  is  to  do  as  a  school.  If  the  three  summer 
months  are  the  best  time  of  his  year,  he  will  plan  to 
do  his  hardest  work  at  that  season.  If  attendance 
during  the  winter  period  is  reduced  and  uncertain, 
he  may  reorganize  the  force  and  lighten  the  work  of 
that  term,  while  counting  it  as  much  a  duty  as  ever 
to  do  all  that  can  be  done. 

The  four  festivals  mentioned,  with  the  use  of  the 
lesson  quarterlies,  have  accustomed  us  to  a  quarterly 
division  of  the  Sunday-school  year.  We  might  speak 
of  our  year  as  divided  into  four  terms,  the  Easter 
term,  January  to  March,  the  Children's  Day  term, 
April  to  June,  the  Eally  Day  term,  July  to  Septem- 
ber, and  the  Christmas  term,  October  to  December. 
The  work  of  each  of  these  terms  may  be  made  to 
head  up  in  the  festival  which  comes  at  or  near  its 
close.  If  only  we  could  so  connect  the  work  with  the 
festival  as  to  make  the  classes  feel  that  all  the  w^ork 
was  part  of  the  festival  preparations,  what  a  motive 
w©  should  have  with  which  to  keep  our  classes  up  to 
their  lesson  tasks  ! 

Three  problems,  evidently,  will  have  to  be  solved 
before  we  can  win  for  our  project  this  desirable  ad- 
vantage. We  must  clearly  see  and  definitely  measure 
our  quarter's  educational  task.     We  must  learn  ho^ 


Running  by  the  Quarter  83 

to  plan  and  coDduct  a  successful  educational  festival. 
We  must  learn  to  relate  tlie  task  to  the  festival  so 
that  each  shall  belong  to  the  other  ;  one  the  prepara- 
tion, the  other  the  conclusion.  Let  us  study  these 
three  problems  in  detail. 

Planning  the  Desk  Work. — Taking  up  the  first  of 
these  three  problems,  and  beginning  with  the  work 
of  the  superintendent,  we  see  that  he  must  first  of  all 
arrange  a  series  of  desk  lessons,  each  from  four  to 
seven  minutes  in  length,  to  be  presented  by  himself 
aud  others  after  the  opening  worship  and  before  the 
classes  turn  to  their  separate  lesson  study.  General 
material  for  these  desk  lessons  was  suggested  in  Chap- 
ter IV.  Let  the  superintendent  try  his  hand  at  teach- 
ing one  or  more  of  these,  until  the  method  is  clear. 
A  short,  plain,  earnest  talk  on  the  topic  is  good  ;  a 
talk  involving  question  and  answer  is  better  ;  two  or 
three  brief  essays  or  recitations,  introduced  and  fol- 
lowed by  words  explaining  and  enforcing  the  ideas 
thus  presented,  might  be  best  of  all. 

The  general  and  undated  lesson  material  is  for  use 
on  Sundays  not  claimed  for  some  seasonal  topic. 
Which  these  Sundays  are  can  soon  be  determined. 
Take  a  calendar  for  the  year  and  four  sheets  of  paper. 
Write,  in  a  column  to  the  left,  the  dates  of  the  Sun- 
days for  the  quarter.  For  which  of  these  is  there  a 
clear  motive  or  topic  that  ought  to  have  the  right  of 
way  on  that  Sunday  ?  As  fast  as  such  a  date  is  set-' 
tied,  put  it  down. 

The  first  Sunday  in  January,  for  instance,  is  New 
Year  Sunday,  when  an  encouraging  talk  on  good 
habits,  especially  good  church  habits,  will  be  due. 
Somewhere    in    the    quarter,    in    a  church   Sunday 


84      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

scliool,  will  come  one  or  more  commuuiou  seasons, 
or  a  time  of  special  revival  interest :  save  the  desk 
lesson  time,  then  or  just  previously,  for  an  evangel- 
istic appeal.  The  second  quarter  is  particularly  full 
of  set  times — Easter  (usually  in  April)  ;  Mother's 
Day,  second  Sunday  in  May  ;  Peace  Sunday,  third 
Sunday  in  May ;  Memorial  Day,  a  Sunday  near  the 
month's  close ;  Children's  Day,  second  Sunday  in 
June.  Patriotic  Sunday  is  of  course  the  Sunday 
nearest  the  Fourth  of  July  ;  Labor  Sunday  the  first 
in  September,  Rally  or  Promotion  Sunday  the  last. 
In  the  fourth  quarter  we  have  World's  Temperance 
Sunday,  Thanksgiving  Sunday,  Bible  Sunday  (first 
in  December),  Christmas  Sunday  and  Old  Year  Sun- 
day. To  these  general  days  an  indefinite  number 
may  be  added  from  local  customs,  the  missionary 
and  benevolent  plans  and  directions  of  the  denomi- 
nation, and  the  school's  relation  to  its  community. 
Some  cities  have  a  Hospital  Sunday,  for  example : 
there  may  be  some  similar  custom  in  the  little 
school's  neighborhood.  A  calendar  committee  from 
the  workers'  conference  might  be  a  help  to  the  su- 
perintendent in  the  drawing  up  of  such  a  list  of  as- 
signed Sundays. 

These  settled,  the  remaining  Sundays  can  be  given 
to  the  general  desk  teaching  outlined  in  Chapter  IV. 
On  one  Sunday  let  the  superintendent  plan  to  teach 
a  new  hymn.  On  another  a  temperance  lesson  may 
be  due,  or  a  missionary  presentation,  or  a  drill  on 
Bible  books  or  the  map  of  Palestine.  Put  a  few 
more  missionary  books  in  the  librarj^,  and  ask  one  or 
two  of  the  best  speakers  to  search  them  for  material, 
presenting  what  they  find  to  the  school.     For  every 


Running  by  the  Quarter  85 

Sunday  to  be  observed  in  remembrance  of  a  cause, 
literature  in  abundance  is  generally  offered.  Secure 
this  for  use  as  needed;  but  beware  of  concert  exer- 
cises that  call  for  a  reduction  of  lesson  time. 

The  calendar  comi>leted  for  the  year,  or  at  least  for 
the  coming  quiirtcr,  the  superintendent  should  an- 
nounce it,  post  a  copy  near  the  door  and  proceed  to 
the  work  of  carrying  it  out.  It  is  essential  that  the 
school  shall  anticipate  the  use  that  is  to  be  made  of 
the  day.  Material  needed  on  any  topic  should  be 
written  for  in  ample  season.  Persons  expected  to 
take  part  should  have  early  notice,  with  such  help 
as  may  be  needed.  Viewing  all  as  his  quarterly  les- 
son course,  let  the  superintendent  reckon  up  what  he 
has  planned  to  teach ;  and  let  him  keep,  week  by 
week,  a  brief  but  faithful  record  of  how  far  he  has 
succeeded  in  presenting  the  material  and  in  making 
it  interesting  and  significant  to  the  school. 

Replanning  the  Class  Work. — In  the  same  defi- 
nite way  will  the  work  of  each  class  need  to  be 
planned  for  the  term.  We  must  bid  farewell  to  the 
notion  that  all  necessary  planning  has  been  done  for 
us  by  the  makers  of  our  lesson  helps.  The  graded 
lessons  have  finished  that  idea.  Under  the  uniform 
system  our  plan  was  simply  the  particular  way  in 
which  we  went  at  each  lesson.  If  we  failed  to 
master  it,  or  to  get  a  heart-warming  discussion  out 
of  it,  we  had  missed  oar  opportunity  for  that  Sun- 
day ;  but  another  opportunity  was  coming  next  Sun- 
day, with  a  fresh  lesson  to  work  on.  Each  graded 
lesson,  however,  is  a  lesson  in  the  school  sense  of  the 
word.  It  must  be  learned,  seen,  experienced,  ex- 
pressed, applied,  before  we  are  ready  to  proceed  to 


86      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

the  next  lesson.  When  these  lessons  are  first  intro^ 
duced  into  a  school,  it  is  unfortunately  necessary 
that  classes  shall  study  courses  without  having  first 
had  the  courses  which  go  before.  How  that  would 
work  in  mathematics  or  English  any  school-teacher 
can  see.  We  must  give  each  class  the  course  belong- 
ing to  that  grade  ;  but  for  several  years  we  shall  have 
to  simplify  the  assignments  of  home  work,  making 
the  work  easier  and  less  thorough  than  the  book 
calls  for,  because  these  pupils  have  not  had  the 
lessons  of  the  grades  below.  This  means  a  replan- 
ning  of  the  quarter's  work. 

Unless  trained  in  school  work,  the  teacher  himself 
can  seldom  do  this  replauning  to  advantage.  A 
director  of  instruction — some  school-teacher,  normal- 
trained,  working  with  and  under  the  superintendent 
— would  be  a  great  help  here.  Study  eareliilly  the 
first  two  or  three  lessons  to  get  the  method  proposed 
by  the  leSvSon  writer  for  pupils  and  for  teaclier. 
Study  the  "Foreword"  for  aims  and  suggesiious  of 
method.  Consider  the  qualifications  of  the  teacher 
and  the  capacities  of  the  class.  Then  fix  a  few  defi- 
nite specifications  of  what  will  constitute  a  satis- 
factory lesson,  including  always  some  hand-work 
or  note-book  work  by  which  results  can  be  expressed 
and  measured.  Impress  on  the  teacher  the  need  of 
finishing  each  lesson  on  this  given  scale,  even  if  only 
six  lessons  are  covered  in  twelve  Sundays'  study. 
More  may  be  done,  especially  in  discussion  and  per- 
sonal application,  but  not  less. 

What  of  the  classes  still  pursuing  the  uniform 
lesson  ?  The  same  principle  can  be  applied  to  them. 
Let  the  teacher  open  a  pocket  record,  entering  in  its 


Running  by  the  Quarter  87 

each  Sunday  on  bis  return  home  a  statement  of  the 
attendance,  the  lesson  points  presented,  the  interest 
shown,  (he  response  in  answers  and  questions  asked, 
and  the  definite  results  which  he  thinks  were  secured. 
In  an  older  class  a  recording  secretary  might  be 
found,  able  and  willing  to  keep  such  a  record  and 
to  read  it  as  minutes  at  the  opening  of  next  Sunday's 
class  session.  The  idea  that  every  Sunday's  oppor- 
tunity is  an  asset  to  be  accounted  for  is  worth  culti- 
vating. 

Appraising  the  Term's  Work. — Besides  the  usual 
quarterly  review  and  summing  up  of  the  matters 
studied,  to  be  attended  to  in  the  lesson-study  period, 
there  should  be  on  the  closing  Sunday  of  each  quar- 
ter a  summing  up  of  the  results  as  a  whole.  What 
have  we  done  with  our  quarter's  opportunity  1  Each 
teacher  and  class  must  be  led  to  face  the  actual  record 
of  work  done,  and  must  be  shown  how  to  appraise 
it  in  terms  of  educational  value.  If  class  and  teacher 
do  this  appraising  together,  and  if  the  superintend- 
ent's work  comes  in  for  its  appraisal  too,  there  need 
be  no  embarrassment  about  the  operation. 

Before  the  advent  of  graded  lessons,  quarterly 
written  reviews  were  frequently  held  by  enterprising 
superintendents.  Now  that  we  have  graded  lesson 
books  which  provide  for  some  form  of  written  work 
on  each  lesson,  our  examination  will  consist  in  the 
turning  in  of  creditable  books  at  the  quarter's  end. 
We  may  supplement  this  by  asking  the  teachers  of 
the  graded  classes  to  designate  the  honor  pupil 
of  each  class  for  the  quarter,  dividing  the  honors 
where  two  or  at  most  three  are  equally  worthy. 
And,  as  the  class  surveys  its  quarter's  work,  we  may 


88      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

ask  teacher  and  class  to  agree  on  how  the  work  they 
have  done  together,  both  as  to  qiiaiitity  aud  quality, 
compares  with  a  perfect  scale  of  one  liuudred  for  that 
class.  Adding  a  simple  statement  of  the  teacher's 
record  as  to  attendance  or  presence  by  qualified  sub- 
stitute, we  have  a  working  basis  for  a  fairly  definite 
ai^i^raisal  of  the  educational  effort  expended  on  each 
quarter's  work.    This  should  be  recorded  and  reported. 

The  conclusion  of  any  such  exercise  as  this  will 
naturally  lead  a  Sunday  school  to  prayer.  How  poor 
and  unworthy  our  efforts  have  been,  in  comparison 
with  our  own  powers,  the  preciousuess  of  the  truths 
we  have  had  set  before  us,  the  fleeting  character  of 
our  opportunities  and  our  need  of  the  lessons  we  have 
come  so  far  short  of  learning  !  Save  a  few  minutes 
at  the  close  of  the  hour  for  a  service  of  prayer  and 
reconsecration  to  the  Sunday  school's  great  and  ex- 
acting task. 

Records  and  Recognitions. — Such  a  strictly  edu- 
cational record  as  has  just  been  described  is  quite 
apart  from  the  necessary  records  of  membership, 
attendance  and  offering  ordinarily  kept  by  the  secre- 
taj-y.  These  also  must  be  looked  after  by  the  super- 
intendent ;  for  on  them,  properly  planned,  diligently 
kept  and  wisely  utilized,  rests  much  of  the  efficiency 
of  the  school.  The  work  of  the  secretary  in  a  large 
Sunday  school  has  been  well  discussed  ;  and  endless 
are  the  varieties  of  record  books  that  have  been  pub- 
lished to  aid  in  handling  twenty,  thirty  and  fifty 
classes.  The  special  problem  presented  by  the  secre- 
tarial needs  of  the  school  of  five  or  at  most  ten  classes 
has  not  been  studied  with  equal  attention. 

Besides  the  private  record  which  each  teacher  ought 


Running  by  the  Quarter  89 

to  keep,  and  the  superintendent's  pocket  record,  kept 
in  his  own  way,  three  records  need  to  be  kept  by 
the  secretary.  These  are  the  class  record,  the  school 
weekly  record  and  the  register.  The  class  record 
should  be  kept  in  a  class  book,  or  on  a  class  card 
ruled  and  dated  by  Sundays.  The  punch-card  sys- 
tems now  so  common  are  adapted  to  the  conditions  of 
a  crowded  city  school  where  hundreds  of  records  must 
be  made,  gathered  and  checked  up  in  a  few  minutes. 
With  but  five  classes  to  oversee,  there  is  no  reason 
why  each  should  not  have  its  simple  class  book,  with 
a  class  roll  that  stays  in  the  same  order  from  Sunday 
to  Sunday,  and  that  tells  the  full  story  of  each  Sun- 
day's work  in  permanent  and  easily  consulted  form. 
Each  class  should  have  its  book  and  offering  envelope 
before  the  session  opens,  and  these  should  be  collected 
before  lesson-study  time. 

For  the  junior  class  a  ^  ^junior  record  of  credits  "is 
published,  with  loose  leaves,  one  for  each  pupil  and 
one  for  the  class  as  a  whole.  It  provides  for  credit- 
ing the  pupil  each  week  for  attendance  (20  points), 
punctuality  (10),  Bible  brought  (10),  offering  flO^ 
daily  Bible  reading  (35,  or  5  for  each  day),  and 
church  attendance  (15) ;  total,  100  points.  These  are 
the  items  of  character-training  on  which  special  stress 
needs  to  be  laid  while  the  child  is  passing  through 
this  period  ;  hence  this  book,  or  some  similar  record, 
is  recommended  for  the  junior  class. 

The  school  weekly  record  is  usually  kept  on  one 
page  of  a  book,  arranged  to  form  a  record  of  pi^o- 
ceedings  for  that  day.  Quarterly  totals  can  be  taken 
from  such  a  book  only  by  copying  the  figures  on  an- 
other sheet.     Why  not  run  the  items  as  column-heads 


go      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

aloug  the  top  of  the  record  book's  page,  and  the  Sun 
days  for  the  quarter  down  the  first  column  ?  Then, 
with  two  facing  pages  for  one  quarter's  reports,  the 
record  of  one  Sunday  can  be  put  on  a  single  line,  and 
the  columns  can  be  footed  and  averaged  at  the  bottom. 
In  the  same  way  the  four  quarterly  reports  can  be 
arranged  in  four  columns  on  another  page,  with  an- 
nual report  and  all  other  needed  records  for  the  year 
on  a  dozen  pages  more.  Any  bright  secretary  can 
rule  such  a  book  for  himself,  making  it  fit  exactly 
the  life  of  his  school.* 

The  register  should  be  a  large,  well-bound  minute 
book,  with  alphabetic  index  of  names  and  registry 
numbers,  and  then  one  page,  or  half  a  page,  allotted 
to  each  member  of  the  school.  Beginning  with  super- 
intendent and  teachers,  give  each  present  member  a 
half-page  and  a  consecutive  number.  Write  each 
name  in  full,  exactly  as  written  by  its  owner  or  his 
parent.  In  abbreviated  form  add  residence,  birth- 
day, date  of  joining  the  school,  date  of  uniting  with 
church,  name  of  parent  or  guardian,  member  of  which 
class  and  public  school  grade.  Three  or  four  lines 
should  suffice  for  this,  leaving  ample  space  for  subse- 
quent items:  promoted  to class  (with  date), 

appointed   teacher  of..... class,   left  for 

College,   removed  to ,   etc.     The  entries  for 

adults,  of  course,  will  omit  year  of  birth  and  name  of 
parent  or  guardian.  The  present  members  should  be 
registered  without  undue  delay ;  and  thereafter  no 
newcomer  should  be  counted  a  member  of  the  school 

^  The  author's  *' Westminster  Ideal  Secretary's  Record  for 
Small  Schools,"  published  by  the  Westminster  Press,  Philadel- 
phia, is  constructed  on  this  plan.     Price,  25  cents. 


Running  by  the  Quarter  91 

till  he  has  been  present  for  several  Sundays,  has  de- 
clared his  intention  to  be  a  permanent,  obedient  and 
willing  member,  has  been  properly  graded  and  placed 
by  the  superintendent  and  has  reported  to  the  secre- 
tary to  be  duly  entered  in  the  school  register. 

Every  little  Sunday  school  has  need  of  such  a  record 
as  this.  It  will  be  well  to  entrust  it  to  the  most  faith- 
ful and  painstaking  member  of  the  school,  appointing 
such  person  as  biographer,  historian  or  birthday  sec- 
retary. Impress  it  on  every  member  that  when  he 
leaves  the  school  he  must  keep  the  biographer  advised 
of  his  address  and  his  welfare,  especially  of  such  hap- 
penings and  achievements  as  may  reflect  credit  on 
the  Sunday  school  that  trained  him  for  the  work. 
A  birthday  letter,  with  an  offering  enclosed  for  old 
times'  sake,  would  be  a  convenient  way  of  securing 
this  permanent  touch.  Colleges  coin  the  records 
and  the  loyalty  of  their  alumni  into  a  substantial 
asset :  why  should  not  the  little  Sunday  school  do  the 
same  ?  ^ 

The  class  books,  giving  the  detailed  weekly  record 
of  each  teacher  and  pupil,  are  part  of  the  school's 
record  system  and  should  be  carefully  kept  and  filed 
as  historical  material  at  the  end  of  the  year.  Who 
knows  what  famous  man  may  revisit  the  old  neigh- 
borhood some  day  and  ask  to  see  the  record  of  his 
childish  faithfulness  at  Sunday  school  ?  At  the  forti- 
eth reunion  of  what  was  once  a  little  Sunday  school 
in  the  outskirts  of  Philadelphia,  the  old  record,  show- 
ing   the   creditable  attendance  and  work  of  John 

^  For  a  full  account  of  such  a  register,  as  kept  for  forty  years  in 
a  little  New  England  Sunday  school,  see  Trumbull's  "A  Model 
Superintendent, ' '  pages  15,  68-72, 


gl      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Wauamaker  as  a  junior  pupil,  formed  an  exhibit  of 
wliicii  the  aged  superintendent  and  his  surviving 
fellow- workers  were  justly  proud. 

Of  small  value,  however,  are  any  records  if  no  use 
is  made  of  the  story  they  tell.  The  record  is  in  order 
to  the  report.  Every  Sunday,  before  school  closi^.s, 
the  secretary  should  make  his  brief  weekly  report, 
which  may  also  be  posted  on  the  school's  bulletin - 
board.  Every  quarter  a  quarterly  report  should 
be  rendeied,  giving  the  more  important  statistics 
of  the  school's  work  for  the  term,  including  mem- 
bership, number  of  new  members,  highest,  lowest 
and  average  attendance,  number  of  visitors  and  offer- 
ings for  regular  and  special  objects.  The  condensed 
record  of  each  class  may  also  properly  be  given. 
When  to  this  is  added  by  the  superintendent  the  edu- 
cational report  previously  suggested,  with  names  of 
honor  members  for  the  term,  the  school  and  its  visit- 
ing friends  may  gain  a  new  conception  of  its  impor- 
tance and  of  their  obligations. 

An  Educational  Festival. — Any  festival  may  be 
called  educational  if  it  helps  us  in  making  a  success 
of  our  educational  plans.  If  we  prove  ourselves  able 
to  carry  through  a  first-rate  Christmas  entertainment 
or  picnic,  we  may  thereby  gain  such  prestige  as 
leader  that  the  school  will  permit  us  to  introduce 
graded  lessons.  But  a  real  educational  festival  is  one 
in  which,  without  sacrifice  of  interest  and  life,  fea- 
tures that  teach  wrong  lessons  are  supplanted  by 
others  representing  studies  in  which  the  school  has 
been  engaged  and  which  it  has  prepared  in  form 
worthy  of  presentation  to  an  audience. 

At  present,  in  many  little  Sunday  schools,  some 


Running  by  the  Quarter  93 

of  the  festivals,  especially  Christmas,  draw  so  heavily 
on  the  time  aud  interest  of  the  school  and  its  best 
workers  that  lesson  work  and  religious  interest  are 
alike  forgotten  for  several  weeks  before  the  festal  day. 
This  waste  must  be  stopped ;  and  in  its  place  a 
system  must  be  established  that  will  earn  an  educa- 
tional profit  on  every  festival  held  by  the  school. 

Festivals  held  on  Sunday  at  the  usual  hour  of  the 
session  are  generally  of  a  staid  and  devotional  type, 
though  sometimes  admitting  children's  recitations. 
When  held  on  Sunday  evening  a  somewhat  larger 
liberty  is  taken.  On  a  week-night,  especially  in  the 
case  of  the  Christmas  celebration,  many  schools  con- 
sider costuming  and  dramatism  quite  permissible. 
Santa  Claus,  alone  or  attended  by  various  fanciful 
characters,  arrives  to  distribute  the  candy  or  other 
gifts;  and  sometimes  the  young  folks  get  up  a 
'^  cantata,"  which  in  Sunday-school  language  means 
any  light  dramatic  performance,  largely  musical, 
offered  for  Sunday-school  use.  In  some  neighbor- 
hoods so  much  effort  has  been  spent  and  so  many 
really  able  presentations  are  remembered  that  the 
people  are  hard  to  please.  How  can  such  a  festival 
be  made  over  without  robbing  the  occasion  of  its  ex- 
citement and  its  charm  ? 

Well,  for  one  change,  the  Sunday  school  can  with- 
draw from  the  business  of  providing  amateur  per- 
formances to  the  community.  If  these  are  desired, 
bring  together  the  leading  committee  workers  of  the 
last  few  affairs  and  help  them  to  organize  a  dramatic 
association,  auxiliary  to  Sunday  school  and  church 
if  that  is  acceptable,  independent  if  it  is  not.  The 
dramatic  instinct  is  normal  and  healthy,  and  offers  a 


94      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

fiue  basis  for  good  social  fellowship.  Encourage  the 
young  people  to  serve  the  community  in  this  way. 
Let  the  atisociatiou  include  in  its  season's  plan  a 
simple  but  good  performance  for  the  Christmas 
festival  and  a  missionary  pageant  to  be  given  out- 
of-doors  in  June.  The  senior  or  young  people's  class 
may  be  willing  to  undertake  this  without  forming  a 
new  organization. 

As  to  the  gifts  to  the  school,  thousands  of  Sunday 
schools  have  now  learned  by  experience  the  truth 
of  what  Jesus  said  so  long  ago  about  giving  and 
receiving.  Let  the  Christmas  festival  always  be  a 
time  for  bringing  gifts  for  others  needier  than  we. 
The  poor  little  waifs  in  the  city  slums,  the  toilers  in 
sweat-shops,  the  sufferers  from  the  ravages  of  war, — 
appeals  for  such  as  these  will  waken  interest  among 
country  children  and  bring  out  gifts  that  will  deco- 
rate the  platform  more  impressively  than  holly  and 
greens.  The  Christmas  example  of  the  Wise  Men 
may  be  used  in  this  connection.  Are  we  not  cele- 
brating the  birthday  of  our  King? 

The  popularity  of  the  children's  recitations  comes 
largely  from  the  fond  pride  of  the  parents  in  seeing 
their  darlings  on  the  platform.  What  these  recite  is 
a  secondary  consideration.  Why  then  should  they 
not  recite  some  of  their  Sunday-school  lesson  work  ? 
Why,  also,  should  the  recitations  not  be  grouped  so 
that  each  will  play  its  part  in  a  joint  endeavor,  form- 
ing a  concert  exercise,  with  a  message  and  a  value 
that  the  children  themselves  can  understand  ?  It  is 
not  good  for  the  moral  health  of  a  little  child  to  send 
him  on  the  platform  alone,  and  then  to  cheer  and 
congratulate  him  admiringly  for  what  he  has  dona 


Running  by  the  Quarter  95 

The  sweet  uncoDSciousness  of  cbildhood  is  as  easily 
liiigered  off  and  as  impossible  to  restore  as  the  bloom 
on  a  butterfly's  wing.  Lift  the  children's  minds 
while  they  are  being  drilled  to  the  thought  that  they 
are  to  do  this  service  for  Jesus  and  to  help  the  school 
in  its  work  ;  keep  their  thoughts  off  themselves  and 
the  glory  they  will  win.  So  may  their  part  be  to 
them  a  means  of  grace,  a  service  rendered  to  the 
Lord. 

Simple  children's  pageants  and  dramatic  perform- 
ances can  with  no  great  difficulty  be  woven  out  of  the 
material  of  their  graded  lessons  and  their  missionary 
studies.  Not  every  quarter  can  this  be  done,  nor  has 
every  teacher  the  ingenuity  and  patience  to  lead  a 
class  in  working  out  its  plan.  But  the  material  is 
there.  Let  the  intermediate  class,  for  instance,  begin 
in  October  to  work  up  a  few  of  the  scenes  in  the  life 
of  David,  beginning  with  simple  tableaux,  expanding 
a  few  of  these  into  dialogue,  and  trying  to  make  out 
of  some  one,  say  the  visit  of  David  and  Abishai  to 
Saul's  camp  (1  Sam.  xxvi.),  an  animated  moving 
picture.  Would  not  that  class  by  Easter,  perhaps 
by  Christmas,  be  ready  to  give  a  "show  ''  that  would 
be  worth  coming  to  see  ?  Would  they  not  have  to 
study  their  Bibles  as  never  before  in  order  to  learn 
the  facts  and  arrange  the  scenes  and  the  talk  f 
Would  not  the  moral  force  of  the  story  impress  itself 
on  actors  and  spectators  alike  ?  That  would  be,  so 
far,  an  educational  festival. 

To  a  musician's  ear  and  a  musical  educator ^s  nerves, 
the  most  unsatisfactory  feature  of  the  ordinary  Sun- 
day-school festival  is  its  music.  The  school  buys  a 
special  service,  spends  weeks  in  practice,  gives  the 


96      How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

performauce  before  a  supposedly  admiring  company, 
and  then  throws  the  service  away.  Does  it  pay  to 
do  this  ?  Why  not  use  every  Sunday  songs  worthy 
of  being  sung  at  a  festival "?  If  the  school  will  use  a 
really  good  song-book,  learning  a  new  hymn  every 
few  Sundays,  festival  time  will  find  it  with  plenty 
of  music  on  hand,  new  and  old,  that  its  audience  will 
be  charmed  to  hear.  A  Sunday-school  choir  in  a  few 
outside  rehearsals  can  prepare  some  additional  music. 
Then  the  superintendent  may  draft  his  program  as 
he  thinks  best,  posting  it  on  blackboard  or  wall. 
The  music  will  thus  be  part  of  the  school's  educa- 
tional exhibit ;  and  the  approach  of  the  festival  will 
be  their  incentive  for  singing  well  every  Sunday. 

The  pupils'  note-books,  maps,  folders  and  other 
trophies  of  diligence  in  graded  study  may  properly 
be  displayed  as  part  of  the  festival  decorations. 
Stretch  one  or  two  strings  at  a  convenient  height 
along  the  wall  from  window  to  window,  and  on  these 
hang  the  books,  with  names  well  displayed,  so  that 
they  may  be  examined  by  parents  and  other  admirers. 
One  or  two  such  exhibitions  will  serve  to  make  the 
home  work  seem  to  some  of  the  careless  ones  more 
worth  doing. 

If  now  the  quarterly  report  of  superintendent  and 
secretary  can  be  closed  a  Sunday  or  two  ahead,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  record  going  over  to  the  next  quarter, 
and  if  somewhere  in  the  program  this  story  of  the 
school's  creditable  progre^ss  can  be  read,  perhaps  by 
one  of  the  young  women  whose  pleasant  voice  will 
give  its  facts  a  worthy  hearing,  the  educational  fea- 
tures of  our  festival  program  will  be  for  the  time 
complete. 


VI 

eunni:ng  by  the  yeae 

An  Educational  Perspective. — It  is  necessary 
that  the  superintendent  shall  learn  to  run  his  Sun- 
day school  by  the  year  as  well  as  by  the  week,  and 
that  beyond  the  present  year  he  shall  take  account  of 
the  years  to  come  and  of  those  that  have  gone  before. 
His  Sunday  school  is  a  school.  Its  work  is  the  de- 
veloping of  characters  and  the  shaping  of  lives. 
These  lives  stretch  for  years,  past  and  to  come  ;  and 
to-day's  work  in  Sunday  school  is  a  cross-section  of 
the  experiences  through  which  pupils  and  teachers 
are  severally  passing.  His  watchword  might  well 
be,  Not  across,  but  along.  His  zeal  should  be,  not 
to  run  a  session  brighter  and  more  successful  than 
any  ever  held  before,  but  rather  to  perceive  more 
clearly  than  ever  before  what  these  souls  need  that 
his  Sunday  school  can  give  them,  and  to  run  such  a 
session  that  every  soul  shall  through  it  receive  the 
exact  help  needed  for  that  stage  of  his  individual 
forward  way. 

If  this  vision  of  each  pupil's  whole  need  is  to  be 
wrought  into  action,  we  must  divide  our  task  into 
units  and  plan  to  finish  each  unit  in  its  appointed 
time.  We  have  already  seen  the  general  lAsm  of 
grading  by  which  the  pupil's  life  is  divided  into 
periods  of  Sunday-school  experience, — cradle  roll, 
beginners,  primary,  junior,  intermediate,  senior  and 
adult.     Every  child  must  make  his  way  up  through 

97 


98       How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

these  successive  ages  ;  aud  it  is  for  us,  by  grading  the 
school,  to  make  our  iustitutiou  correspond  at  every 
stage  as  well  as  we  can  to  his  needs  at  that  stage. 
Our  general  age-unit  is  the  year.  Our  present  task, 
therefore,  is  to  plan  for  such  a  year's  work  in  our 
little  Sunday  school  that  the  needs  of  every  pupil 
shall  be  met  as  fully  and  as  closely  as  our  resources 
and  our  powers  of  leadership  allow. 

In  planning  this  year's  instruction  we  must  keep 
in  mind  what  instruction  the  pupil  has  had  before. 
We  must  indeed  consider  what  all  his  past  experi- 
ences have  been,  at  home,  on  the  farm,  in  the  woods, 
in  his  reading,  and  in  the  hidden  life  of  his  soul, 
with  its  unspoken  questionings,  its  ideals  and  ambi- 
tions, its  decisions  and  its  defaults.  All  that  we  can 
learn  of  every  pupil  must  be  taken  into  account  in 
settling  how  we  shall  try  to  help  him  during  the  com- 
ing year.  Nor  must  we  fail  to  project  ourselves 
ahead  into  the  years  to  come,  with  our  plans  for 
more  advanced  work,  to  begin  when  that  which  we 
are  now  starting  shall  have  finished  its  course  and 
made  possible  a  new  departure. 

Reorganizing  for  the  New  Year. — All  the  work 
of  the  Sunday  school  should  be  made  to  end  on 
Promotion  Day.  The  treasurer's  books  should  close 
for  the  year  with  the  end  of  that  calendar  quarter. 
The  new  class  books  and  secretary's  record  should 
start  at  that  time.  Honors  for  the  year  should 
be  announced.  All  terms  of  service  of  officers  and 
teachers  should  expire  then  ;  the  new  appointees  to 
be  determined  at  the  next  previous  meeting  of  the 
workers^  conference,  except  the  superintendent,  who 
should  be  elected  at  least   a  month   earlier.     The 


Running  by  the  Year  99 

studies  of  each  class  for  the  coining  year  should  be 
auuouuced  and  the  new  books  distributed.  Most 
important  of  all,  the  promotions  for  the  year,  with 
announcement  of  every  pupil's  standing,  should  be 
impressively  attended  to.  it  is  the  great  day  of  the 
Sunday-school  year. 

How  the  saperintendent  is  chosen  will  depend  on 
whether  the  Sunday  school  is  or  is  not  independent 
of  local  church  relationship.  In  a  church  school  the 
superintendent  ought  always  to  be  chosen  by  the 
cliurch  ;  for  in  no  other  way  can  the  church's  re- 
sponsibility for  its  school  be  enforced  and  discharged. 
The  choice,  however,  should  be  in  consultation  with 
the  Sunday-school  workers  and  subject  to  their  ratifi- 
cation or  rejection  ;  in  which  latter  case  it  would  be 
the  duty  of  the  church  to  propose  another  name. 
The  superintendent  thus  chosen  can  begin  his  year's 
work  with  his  force  around  him  and  his  church  be- 
hind him  ;  and  he  ought  to  look  forward  with  joy  to 
the  good  report  he  is  to  make  of  his  stewardship  at 
the  year's  end.  The  union  school  will  of  course  elect 
its  superintendent  at  its  own  business  meeting,  two 
months  before  the  beginning  of  his  official  term. 

The  secretary,  the  librarian,  the  associate  superin- 
tendent, the  chorister  or  accompanist,  and  any  other 
officers  needed  for  the  superintendent's  staff  of  official 
helpers,  should  be  nominated  by  him  at  the  workers' 
conference  next  aft^r  his  election  and  approved  by 
that  body.  It  is  a  serious  mistake  to  choose  these 
officers  by  nomination  in  meeting,  without  consult- 
ing the  executive  head  of  the  school  as  to  the  helpers 
he  wants.  Let  him  pick  them  himself ;  then  let  the 
teachers  pass  on  their  acceptability. 


lOO     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Two  Plans  of  Class  Formation. — lu  reorganizing 
the  classes,  tlie  little  Sunday  school  may  make  its 
choice  of  two  plans.  It  may  make  every  class  a  fixed 
class,  annually  promoting  every  pupil  whose  age  and 
attainment  fit  him  for  the  work  of  the  class  ahead. 
This  is  the  method  which  has  been  assumed  aud 
recommended  throughout  this  book.  In  the  begin- 
ners' and  primary  classes  and  the  adult  class  it  is  the 
only  way.  But  for  the  junior,  intermediate  and 
senior  classes  anotlier  method  is  possible  and  for 
some  reasons  desirable.  We  may  call  it  the  movable 
class  plan. 

By  this  method  the  superintendent,  once  in  three 
years,  will  organize  a  new  junior  class  out  of  the  pri- 
mary class  and  send  it  forth  on  its  upward  journey. 
Its  members  will  range  in  age  from  eight  to  ten,  per- 
haps eleven  years.  If  the  school  is  larger,  such  a 
class  may  be  formed  oftener  than  once  in  three  years. 
From  time  to  time,  also,  the  senior  class  will  finish 
its  work  and  go  bodily  into  the  adult  class  or  the 
ranks  of  the  teachers  and  officers.  On  the  Promotion 
Day  when  a  junior  class  reaches  the  average  age  of 
twelve,  it  will  be  designated  an  intermediate  class ; 
when  fifteen,  a  senior  class  ;  when  eighteen,  a  gradu- 
ating class,  ready  to  join  the  adults  or  go  to  work. 
Teachers  should  properly  change  classes  at  these 
times,  shifting  to  the  class  below  and  so  continuing 
their  junior,  intermediate  or  senior  work  with  a  new 
class  of  pupils.  There  are  no  individual  promotions. 
Each  class  pursues  steadily  the  closely  graded  lessons, 
taking  every  year's  course  in  its  proper  order. 

Each  of  these  plans  has  its  advantages  and  disad- 
vantages.    The  school  should  weigh  both  with  care, 


Running  by  the  Year  loi 

decide  which  of  the  two  it  will  follow,  and  pursue 
cousisteutly  the  plau  adopted.  A  few  years  heuce  it 
will  be  possible,  as  it  is  not  now,  to  say  positively 
which  of  the  two  plans  will  bring  on  the  whole  the 
best  results.  We  may  expect  to  find  enthusiastic 
advocates  on  either  side.  It  would  be  well  to  have 
in  every  county  one  or  more  little  schools  with  fixed 
classes  and  others  with  movable  classes,  each  follow- 
ing a  graded  course  of  study.  Their  delegates  could 
trieu  discuss  the  matter  at  the  county  convention  and 
compare  results. 

The  Course  of  Study. — In  Chapter  II  we  considered 
the  general  question  of  lessons  for  the  little  Sunday 
school,  and  what  lessons  the  superintendent  should 
endeavor  to  introduce  as  the  lesson  system  of  his 
school.  In  Chapter  V  we  also  considered  how  each 
term's  work  on  these  lessons  might  be  stimulated  and 
appraised.  Presuming  that  the  matter  is  settled  that 
the  school  is  to  use  graded  lessons  in  every  class  as 
soon  as  that  is  practicable,  the  question  now  confronts 
us,  What  lessons  shall  our  five  classes  teach  next 
year  ? 

If  the  graded  lessons  were  correctly  introduced,  the 
answer  to  this  will  not  be  hard  to  find.  Let  each 
class  proceed  to  the  next  year  of  the  course.  The 
primary  class  began  with  the  first  primary  year ;  it 
will  now  proceed  to  the  second  primary  year  ;  and  so 
with  the  junior  class,  and  with  the  intermediate  also, 
if  they  too  adopted  the  new  course.  If  a  beginners' 
class  has  been  organized,  it  will  go  on  to  the  second 
year,  or  will  begin  with  the  first  year  if  it  is  starting 
now.  When  any  class  finishes  the  last  year  of  its 
department  course,  the  teacher  will  begin  again  with 


102     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

the  first  year,  all  those  who  began  with  him  before 
having  now  passed  on  to  the  next  higher  class.  If  he 
has  kept  his  note-books  and  his  teachers'  manuals,  he 
will  be  able  now  to  give  the  lessons  in  better  form 
and  at  less  expense  to  the  school. 

The  method  thus  outlined  is  called  the  departmental 
plan  of  handling  the  graded  lessons.  It  goes  with 
the  fixed  class  plan  of  graded  organization.  It  can 
be  followed  with  two  or  more  junior  classes  as  easily 
as  with  one,  if  the  school  prefers,  all  following  the 
same  lessons  together.  It  was  to  make  this  use  of 
the  graded  system  easier  in  small  schools  that  some 
of  the  denominational  publishers  issued  their  de- 
partmental lesson  periodicals  already  referred  to.^ 
But  the  closely  graded  lessons  can  also  be  used  de- 
partmentally,  and  are  so  used  in  many  little  schools. 
In  such  schools,  when  a  second  junior  class  is  organ- 
ized, it  can  be  given  its  own  grade  of  lessons,  as 
shown  in  the  table  on  page  53. 

The  unfortunate  feature  of  this  departmental  lesson 
method  is  that  different  sets  of  promoted  pupils  get 
their  graded  lessons  in  a  diffeient  order.  Those  en- 
tering the  junior  class  from  the  primary  class  last 
year  got  the  first  year  j  unior  lessons  ;  those  promoted 
this  year  will  get  the  second  year  junior  lessons,  and 
will  not  get  those  of  the  first  year  till  they  are  twelve 
years  old.  The  departmental  lesson  issues  aim  to 
meet  this,  first  by  making  the  junior  cycle  only  three 
years  long,  nine  to  eleven,  and  then  by  so  planning 
the  lesson  work  that  each  year's  course  will  be  equally 
adapted  to  all  the  junior  years.  A  teacher  using  the 
closely  graded  junior  text-books,  with  a  little  help 

^  Chapter  II,  page  39. 


Running  by  the  Year  103 

from  a  lesson  magazine,  could  do  much  of  this  adapt- 
ing himself. 

What  this  method  particularly  needs  is  an  intro- 
ductory primer  or  supplemental  lesson-help  for  those 
entering  the  junior  class  and  not  receiving  the  work 
of  the  first  junior  j^ear.  A  mouth  of  special  atten- 
tion to  such  pupils,  especially  Jis  to  their  use  of  the 
Bible,  would  enable  them  to  go  on  with  profit  in  the 
second  and  third  junior  year,  possibly  even  in  the 
fourth  also.  A  month  or  two  of  similar  special  drill 
prior  to  promotion  should  be  given  the  inteiiding 
graduates,  to  fit  them  for  taking  up  the  advanced 
work  of  the  intermediate  biographical  course. 

The  movable  class  plan  provides  for  going  through 
the  whole  graded  course  without  disarrangement  of 
order.  Each  class  takes  every  year  the  next  course 
and  finishes  it.  No  introductory  or  finishing  courses 
are  necessary.  The  difiiculty  here  is  that  only  one- 
third  or  one-fourth  of  the  class  is  correctly  graded. 
The  junior  class  starts  off  with  ages  ranging  from 
eight  to  ten  or  eleven,  and  it  studies  the  first  year 
course,  intended  for  pupils  nine  years  old.  Year 
after  year  this  arrangement  continues.  The  pupils 
who  were  younger  than  the  lessons  at  eight  are  in 
the  same  position  when  they  are  fifteen  :  they  have 
for  all  these  years  been  studying  lessons  a  little  too 
old  for  them.  This  difficulty,  however,  will  tend  to 
disappear  ;  as  the  intermediate  courses,  it  is  found, 
can  be  followed  with  profit  by  any  age  from  thirteen 
to  sixteen  or  even  older.  A  more  serious  objection 
to  the  movable  class  plan  is  likely  to  be  found  in  the 
difficulty  of  transferring  teachers  after  three  or  four 
years'  service  with  an  unbroken  class. 


104     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

Observing  Promotion  Day. — Whether  by  the 
fixed  class  plan  or  with  movable  classes,  Promotion 
Sunday  must  be  observed  with  such  dignity  as  befits 
a  great  event  in  the  younger  pupils'  lives.  Let  the 
preparations  be  made  well  in  advance.  On  the 
superintendent's  roll  let  each  pupil  have  his  correct 
graded  rating,  witli  some  mark  against  the  names 
of  such  as  have  done  work  worthy  of  honor.  In  the 
exercises  of  the  day,  the  reading  of  these  names,  with 
the  higher  ratings  for  the  new  year,  will  be  the  cli- 
max of  interest.  Begin  at  the  bottom,  with  the 
names  of  the  cradle  roll  members  promoted  to  the 
beginners  or  primary  class.  These  earliest  promo- 
tions may  take  place  semi-annually  or  oftener,  but 
they  should  all  be  announced  here.  The  children, 
sitting  with  their  parents,  should  be  escorted  by  a 
committee  of  beginners  to  their  new  place,  and  a 
welcome  song  sung  in  their  honor.  From  beginners 
to  primary  the  change  can  be  made  in  the  same  way. 
In  the  promotions  from  the  primary  to  the  junior 
class  each  pupil  may  be  presented  by  the  school 
with  a  Bible,  of  the  kind  regularly  used  in  the  class. 
The  ceremony  of  transfer  should  vary  with  each 
class,  to  correspond  with  the  feelings  of  the  different 
ages.  To  treat  an  intermediate  as  he  has  just  seen 
the  primary  children  treated  would  be  an  offense 
indeed.  Promotion  certificates  may  be  awarded  if 
the  school  desires  :  they  are  not  essential. 

The  practical  value  of  this  ceremony  is  consider- 
able. It  sets  forth  to  all  the  reality  of  the  Sunday 
school  as  a  school  and  the  dignity  of  its  lesson  tasks. 
The  memory  of  it  spurs  the  careless  to  complete  their 
Bible  memorizing  and   their  note-book  work,    lest 


Running  by  the  Year  105 

they  lose  honor  aud  mention  on  the  great  day  when 
the  work  is  judged.  Under  the  spell  of  the  swiftly 
moving  program  the  attention  of  pupils  and  class  is 
taken  away  from  the  sadness  of  bidding  farewell  to 
the  beloved  former  teacher  and  focused  on  the  new 
work  in  the  new  class,  or  under  the  new  teacher, 
with  whom  they  are  now  to  be.  Changes  that  would 
be  quite  impossible  if  proposed  in  cold  blood  in  the 
middle  of  the  year  can  be  carried  through  without  a 
ripple  on  Promotion  Sunday. 

Present  and  Future  Teachers. — When  the  super- 
intendent, by  diligent  interviewing  and  patient  per- 
suading, has  secured  the  last  teacher  needed  on  his 
team  for  the  coming  year's  work,  and  has  provided 
each  with  the  text-books  and  teacher's  manuals  of  his 
yearly  course,  his  work  as  captain  and  manager  is 
about  one- quarter  done.  Another  fourth  of  the  task 
will  be  to  lead  and  test  the  teaching  work.  No 
teachers  in  any  kind  of  school  can  run  long  without 
supervising  and  cooperation.  A  plan  for  measuring 
and  appraising  the  teaching  work  was  given  in 
Chapter  V.  In  most  classes,  however,  other  help 
will  be  needed  if  the  year's  work  in  every  class  is  to 
be  well  done.  Here  again  may  be  emphasized  the 
great  value  to  the  superintendent  of  a  competent 
director  of  instruction,  one  who  has  learned  how  to 
teach  and  can  help  each  teacher  to  find  and  follow 
the  right  method  for  his  particular  class  and  his 
lesson  course.  If  such  a  helper  is  to  be  had,  let  him 
be  formally  elected  and  his  duties  and  responsibilities 
defined,  that  none  may  despise  his  educational  au- 
tnority  within  his  official  sphere. 

Duties  of  the  director  of  instruction  will  include 


io6     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

the  keeping  of  the  graded  roll,  the  grading  and  as-' 
sigument  of  each  new  pupil  in  consultation  with  the 
superintendent,  the  study  of  each  lesson  course  and 
discussion  of  the  same  with  the  teacher  in  charge, 
the  noting  of  ail  iinx^ortant  memory  assignments  and 
the  hearing  of  these  recited  from  time  to  time. 
Whatever  the  director  can  do  to  lead  to  better 
teaching  will  be  part  of  his  task.  The  rather  com- 
plicated order  sheet  for  graded  lesson  supplies  should 
be  filled  out  by  him  alone,  and  he  should  also  check 
and  approve  the  goods  on  receipt  and  mark  for  dis- 
tribution ;  unless  the  secretary  can  be  fully  trusted 
to  attend  to  these  matters.  If  such  a  worker  can 
be  retained  as  general  helper,  free  of  steady  class 
teaching,  the  substitute  problem  will  be  fairly  well 
solved.  This,  however,  will  not  often  happen  in  the 
little  Sunday  school. 

So  far,  so  good,  as  to  half  the  superintendent's 
teacher-problem.  The  classes  are  now,  let  us  hope, 
in  good  hands.  How  long  will  they  stay  so  ?  In  a 
fairly  settled  and  quiet  neighborhood  about  one 
teacher  in  every  four  or  five  drops  out  in  the  course 
of  a  year,  for  legitimate  causes.  In  some  fields  half 
the  force  needs  renewing  before  the  year  is  out. 
Next  year's  line-up  will  surely  need  ^'new  blood" 
somewhere ;  and  if  our  team  of  five  years  hence  is  to 
play  a  better  game  than  that  of  the  present  season, 
it  is  none  too  soon  to  begin  now  the  work  of  coaching 
recruits  in  general  hitting  and  base-running  and  also 
for  their  special  places.  In  other  words,  we  need  a 
teacher-training  class. 

So  much  has  been  issued  on  teacher-training  that 
it  might  perhaps  be  enough  to  refer  the  superintend- 


Running  by  the  Year  107 

ent  to  the  leaflets  of  his  own  deuomiDatiou  and  of  his 
state  or  provincial  Sunday-school  association,  with 
further  reference  to  the  books  on  the  subject.  The 
matter  is  not  specitically  ojie  relating  to  the  little 
school  ;  for  every  Sunday  school  must  provide  for  the 
improvement  and  the  renewal  of  its  teaching  force 
or  drop  out  of  the  race.  A  small  class,  meeting  at 
another  hour  than  that  of  the  school  session,  with  (he 
active  teachers  and  some  of  the  young  folks  joining 
in  common  study,  is  a  good  plan  for  many  little 
schools ;  because  such  a  class  can  be  taught  by  the 
director  of  instruction,  the  superintendent  or  the 
pastor  without  interference  with  Sunday  duties,  and 
behind  it  can  be  thrown  the  full  force  of  the  school's 
enthusiasm.  But  a  session  class  of  young  persons  not 
teachers,  taught  as  a  branch  of  the  young  people's 
or  senior  class,  is  equally  desirable  and  in  some  cases 
easier  to  carry.  Suitable  courses  and  text-books  are 
listed  in  the  leaflets  referred  to.  Keep  the  eye  of  the 
class  on  its  coming  fitness  for  teaching  service,  rather 
than  on  the  certificates  and  diplomas  it  is  to  win. 

The  Official  Staff.— Wliile  the  little  Sunday  school 
needs  no  such  array  of  officers  as  must  be  found  in  a 
school  of  three  or  four  hundred,  it  does  need  some  ; 
and  the  work  of  finding  them  and  setting  them  at 
work  for  the  new  year  is  not  easy.  Besides  the  su- 
perintendent there  must  be  a  capable  secretary  ;  and 
unless  the  superintendent  himself  is  a  school  man  or 
otherwise  trained  for  educational  leadership,  there 
must  be  a  director  of  instruction.  The  duties  of 
these  officers  have  already  been  discussed.^  A 
musical  leader  is  also  essential,  who  will  be  the  or- 

1  Chapter  V,  pp.  86,  88-92  ;  Chapter  VI,  p.  105  f. 


io8     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

gauist  or  i^ianist  unless  the  school  has  a  chorister  ;  in 
which  case  the  accompauist  will  rank  as  the  chor- 
ister's assistant.  If  the  superintendent  can  lead  the 
singing  at  all,  he  had  better  be  his  own  chorister. 
The  director  of  instruction,  if  not  also  a  teacher,  may- 
act  as  associate  superintendent ;  otherwise  some  one, 
preferably  a  promising  young  man,  should  hold  and 
fill  that  of&ce.  The  secretary  can  generally  look 
after  the  little  school's  library  ;  but  if  at  all  needed, 
let  a  librarian  be  appointed.  The  birthday  secre- 
tary's work,  described  on  page  91,  may  be  an  inde- 
pendent office  or  under  the  care  of  the  secretary. 

Each  of  these  main  officers  of  the  superintendent's 
cabinet,  with  the  assistants  whom  they  in  turn  have 
named,  and  with  the  treasurer  and  recording  secre- 
tary elected  by  the  workers'  conference,  should  be 
formally  installed  a  Sunday  or  two  after  the  opening 
of  the  year,  or  as  part  of  the  ceremonies  of  Promo- 
tion Sunday.  Secure  if  possible  the  presence  of  the 
pastor  or  some  other  visiting  dignitary.  Arrange  a 
simple  service,  including  a  few  appropriate  verses 
from  the  Bible,  the  reading  of  the  names  and  offices 
by  the  superintendent,  a  few  questions  by  the  pastor 
as  to  each  candidate's  acceptance,  his  promises  and 
his  reliance  on  Divine  help,  a  prayer  of  consecration 
and  a  hymn  of  work  and  service.  The  teachers  may 
also  be  installed  at  the  same  time  ;  and  the  school 
should  pledge  its  faithful  cooperation  with  each  offi- 
cer and  teacher  in  the  year  of  work  thus  undertaken. 

With  his  staff  thus  around  him,  the  superintendent 
who  would  get  hearty  and  faithful  service  from  each 
officer  and  teacher  must  not  fail  to  protect  each 
worker  in  his  own  jurisdiction  and  to  notice,  com- 


Running  by  the  Year  109 

meud  and  support  every  bit  of  work  that  is  well 
done.  Keep  the  eyes  of  all  ou  the  great  task  to  be 
accomplished,  while  eucouragiug  each  to  feel  that  his 
particular  bit  is  a  little  more  important  than  all  the 
rest.  Give  scope  for  originality,  and  let  each  good 
piece  of  work  bring  credit  to  the  worker  by  name. 
Be  firm  in  seeking  the  best  results  but  teachable  by 
others  as  to  ways  and  means  for  attaining  these  re- 
sults. People  have  different  ways  of  doing  things. 
Whenever  jealousy  or  hard  feeling  breaks  out,  bring 
on  some  new  benevolent  enterprise  in  which  all  must 
join  and  work  with  a  will  to  make  it  successful. 

The  School's  Finances. — It  is  the  superintend- 
ent's duty  to  see  that  the  Sunday  school's  income 
fully  covers  its  expenditures  and  that  its  bills  are 
paid  on  time.  To  let  periodical  accounts  hang  ou 
for  a  year  or  longer,  and  to  order  more  than  can  be 
paid  for  within  the  time  of  a  reasonable  accommoda- 
tion, is  not  good  religion.  In  planning  the  year's 
work,  the  budget  of  expense  should  be  figured  out 
with  care,  not  by  guesswork  but  by  ascertaining  as 
closelj^  as  may  be  just  what  each  projected  activity 
and  purchase  will  cost.  A  file  of  receipted  bills 
showing  former  costs  will  help  in  this.  The  neces- 
sary outgo  thus  figured,  and  the  items  approved  in 
workers'  conference,  equally  definite  plans  for  secur- 
ing the  money  must  next  be  determined  upon. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  measure  the  school's  ability 
to  advance  financially  by  what  it  has  succeeded  in 
doing  before.  The  expense  of  graded  lesson  text- 
books as  compared  with  quarterlies  or  lesson  leaves 
has  made  many  a  superintendent  in  a  little  Sunday 
school  turn  down  the  plan  without  further  considera- 


no     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

tion.  But  where  did  last  year's  income  come  from  ! 
How  much  of  each  family's  iucome  was  contributed 
to  the  Sunday  school  ?  During  the  same  period,  how 
much  did  these  families  spend  on  luxuries  and  indul- 
gences? Convince  the  households  concerned  that  the 
new  lesson  books  are  worth  paying  for,  and  money 
to  pay  for  them  will  be  forthcoming.  But  the  super- 
intendent, in  ways  already  suggested,  must  do  this 
convincing  ;  and  then  he  must  coin  the  new  interest 
into  contributions  that  will  meet  the  new  expense. 

The  annual  budget  of  the  school,  with  any  special 
payments  under  it  which  involve  a  change  of  items 
or  an  unusual  expenditure  of  any  sort,  should  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  workers'  conference  for  discussion  and 
decision.  The  workers  should  know  what  their  work 
is  costing  and  how  the  school's  money  is  being  spent. 
Otherwise  they  cannot  take  the  interest  they  should 
in  the  school's  financial  problems. 

Where  the  little  Sunday  school  is  part  of  a  church, 
the  same  rule  holds  as  in  all  church  schools :  the 
school  should  be  supported  by  the  church.  This  does 
not  mean  that  the  school  shall  lose  its  financial  self- 
respect.  Let  it  take  pride,  if  it  will,  in  putting  into 
the  church  treasury  more  than  it  draws  out.  But  let 
the  children  feel  that  their  school  is  part  of  the  church 
in  which  they  are  or  are  to  be  members,  that  the  church 
is  generously  paying  their  expenses,  and  that  they  con- 
tribute regularly  to  its  support.  Let  the  church  in 
turn  feel  its  responsibility  for  the  school.  Once  a 
year,  at  the  annual  church  meeting,  let  it  be  settled 
what  the  school's  budget  is  to  be  and  how  the  money 
is  to  be  paid  ;  also  on  which  Sundays  the  collection  is 
to  go  for  church  support,  and  which  are  to  be  reserved 


Running  by  the  Year  1 1 1 

for  benevolent  offerings.  By  this  sliding  scale  the 
balance  can  easily  be  struck,  according  to  the  needs 
of  the  church  and  the  giving  power  of  the  Sunday 
school. 

The  Sunday-school  treasurer  should  not  be  counted 
one  of  the  superintendent's  assistants,  like  the  secre- 
tary or  the  librarian.  He  is  rather  an  officer  of  the 
disbursing  body,  the  workers'  conference,  and  should 
be  chosen  by  them  from  among  their  number. 
Whether  he  shall  handle  the  money  furnished  by  the 
church  for  school  expenses  or  simply  receive  the 
school's  offerings  and  pay  them  to  the  church  treasurer 
or  send  them  on  to  the  proper  benevolent  treasury,  is 
a  matter  to  be  settled  locally.  In  an  independent 
school,  of  course,  this  question  will  not  arise.  The 
superintendent  must  insist  on  the  treasurer  keeping 
an  account  so  simple  and  clear  that  the  report  at  each 
workers'  conference  will  show  exactly  where  the 
school  stands,  what  bills  if  any  it  owes  and  what  is  its 
present  duty  or  privilege  as  to  new  expenditure. 
Every  benevolent  offering,  also,  must  be  promptly  rep- 
resented by  a  receipt  showing  that  the  full  amount 
has  been  remitted  and  acknowledged.  It  will  be  well 
to  put  the  chairman  of  the  missionary  committee  in 
charge  of  these  benevolent  receipts. 

The  giving  of  the  school  is  no  small  part  of  its  edu- 
cational system.  Every  offering  received  should  be 
the  expression  by  the  givers  of  some  feeling  and  pur- 
pose, the  outcome  of  a  lesson  which  has  impressed 
their  minds  and  touched  their  hearts.  In  most  cases 
the  little  school  will  ordinarily  devote  its  collection 
to  local  maintenance,  contributing  to  benevolent  and 
missionary  objects  only  on  stated  occasions.     No  self- 


1 12     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

respectiug  Sunday  school,  however  poor,  will  give  to 
missions  and  benevolence  less  often  than  once  a 
quarter.  Once  a  month,  on  the  first  or  some  other 
fixed  Sunday,  is  much  the  better  rule.  A  church 
school,  as  already  stated,  will  so  arrange  that  its  or- 
dinary offerings  are  for  church  support,  thus  aj^peal- 
ing  to  the  pupils'  loyalty  to  their  church  and  its  work. 
In  a  union  school,  or  wherever  the  offering  is  merely 
for  school  expenses,  do  not  dwell  on  the  idea  that  we 
are  paying  our  share  of  the  cost  of  what  we  are  getting. 
Train  the  pupils  rather  to  look  on  their  gifts  as  offer- 
ings to  help  our  school  continue  its  good  work.  The 
officers  and  teachers  give  both  money  and  work.  The 
pupils  in  some  cases  give  work  ;  but  they  and  their 
parents  can  all  give  money,  and  God  will  bless  it  to 
great  results,  now  and  in  days  to  come.  Receive 
every  offering  with  a  word  of  prayer,  and  count  it  as 
part  of  the  school's  service  of  worship. 

The  Workers'  Conference. — The  plans  for  the 
year  would  be  incomplete  indeed  without  an  appoint- 
ment and  program  for  the  regular  meetings  of  the 
workers'  conference.  By  this  new  name  is  now  des- 
ignated what  has  been  called  the  teachers'  meeting, 
the  teachers'  business  meeting,  the  Sunday-school  as- 
sociation, the  Sunday-school  board,  and  perhaps  other 
names.  Its  membership  includes  the  officers,  the 
teachers  and  the  presidents  of  the  senior  and  adult 
classes,  with  the  pastor  and  perhaps  other  officers  of 
the  church.  In  order  to  tie  up  the  young  people's 
society,  the  missionary  society,  and  other  local 
church  and  religious  organizations,  the  heads  or  ap- 
pointed representatives  of  these  should  also  be  in- 
cluded in  the  workers'  conference  roll. 


Running  by  the  Year  113 

Regular  moDthly  meetings  of  tliis  body,  on  a  stated 
eveuiug  or  other  time,  should  be  x^rovided  for  by  res- 
olution or  by-law.  The  meetings  may  be  held  at 
some  centrally  located  home.  The  program  of  the 
conference  will  include  devotion,  business  and  instruc- 
tion, an  earnest  though  brief  j)eriod  of  prayer  and  Bible 
meditatiou,  a  brisk  raising  and  settling  of  definite 
items  in  a  docket  of  business,  and  a  half-hour  period 
of  study  and  discussion  on  some  text-book  or  some 
vital  topic  of  Sunday-school  life,  such  as  : 

The  Teacher's  Influence. 

How  to  Arouse  Interest  in  the  Lesson. 

The  Needs  of  Our  Community. 

Why  We  Should  Give  to  Foreign  Missions. 

What  I  Learned  at  the  Convention. 

If  I  Were  Superintendent. 

By  assigning  topics  like  these  to  the  members,  to  be 
responded  to  with  a  ten-minute  paper  or  address  fol- 
lowed by  twenty  minutes  of  discussion,  the  thoughts 
of  the  whole  force  can  be  drawn  together  and  focused 
on  one  Sunday-school  problem  after  another ;  and 
whether  or  not  these  problems  are  solved  and  im- 
provements secured,  the  spirit  of  comradeship  in  serv- 
ice will  surely  be  advanced. 


yn 

GETTING  EESULTS 

Reasonable  Expectations. — Taking  one  year's  rec- 
ord as  the  measuring  unit  of  its  life,  work  and  oi)por- 
tiinity,  what,  within  that  period,  ought  the  little 
Sunday  school  to  accomplish  ?  We  have  been  dis- 
cussing so  far  the  plant  and  the  process.  What  of  the 
product  •?  The  farmer  expects  to  harvest  a  definite 
crop,  the  merchant  to  earn  a  definite  profit,  the  manu- 
facturer to  finish  a  definite  output,  the  stockholder  to 
receive  a  definite  dividend.  What  shall  be  the  crop^ 
the  profit,  the  output,  the  dividend  of  this  Sunday 
school  for  the  year  next  ensuing  ? 

It  is  true  that  much  of  what  any  Sunday  school 
accomplishes  is  known  only  to  God.  It  is  also  true 
that  results  of  high  value  often  come  from  features 
of  the  work  on  which  we,  the  leaders,  had  previously 
set  small  store.  God's  power  is  greater  than  our 
plans  ;  even  as  His  infinite  love  for  the  souls  He  has 
entrusted  to  us  is  greater  than  our  interest  and  affec- 
tion for  them,  however  sincere.  But  it  is  also  true 
that  God  works  through  means,  and  that  our  capacity 
for  analyzing,  investigating,  planning  and  executing 
is  part  of  the  means.  Science  is  constantly  turning 
its  light  on  the  dark  corners  of  nature  and  showing 
the  causes  and  laws  that  control  results  in  fields 
hitherto  deemed  inscrutable.  To  make  a  close  analy- 
sis of  his  own  little  Sunday  school,  with  a  view  to 
determining  what  ought  to  be  its  standard  product 

114 


Getting  Results  115 

when  rightly  run,  is  part  of  the  supeiinteudent's 
duty  ;  and  for  him  to  balk  at  this  on  the  ground  that 
it  is  God's  work  and  therefore  above  analyzing  is  just 
pious  laziness,  with  a  probable  admixture  of  reluc- 
tance to  have  his  work  submitted  to  any  efficiency  test 
whatsoever. 

Our  basis  of  expectation  must  include  the  record 
of  what  we  have  succeeded  in  accomplishing  in  the 
past.  But  it  must  also  take  note  of  what  we  need  to 
accomplish  in  order  to  discharge  fully  our  trust. 
The  little  Sunday  school  is  frequently  the  sole  repre- 
sentative of  organized  religion  in  its  community.  It 
is  therefore  a  station  on  the  picket  line  of  the  Church 
of  Christ,  and  as  such  has  a  work  to  do  which  must 
be  done  if  the  great  cause  is  to  be  saved  from  disaster. 
To  do  as  well  as  last  year,  or  even  to  make  a  ten  per 
cent,  increase,  is  not  enough.  The  real  question  is, 
What  is  it  that  we  need  to  do,  and  how  nearly  perfect 
shall  be  our  doing  of  it  f 

Five  fields  of  effort  stretch  before  the  little  Sunday 
school.  First  of  all  is  the  community  in  which  it 
stands,  with  the  wider  field,  reaching  even  to  the  end 
of  the  world,  of  which  it  is  a  part  through  gifts,  study 
and  prayer.  By  the  law  of  Christ,  it  must  lose  its 
life  in  order  to  find  it :  it  must  live  for  others  before 
it  can  begin  to  do  its  part  for  and  with  its  own. 
Then  comes  the  development  of  Christian  character 
in  its  members  ;  of  which  their  conversion  to  Christ 
will  ever  be  the  central  fact,  though  neither  the 
beginning  nor  the  end  of  the  school's  teaching  effort. 
By  the  common  consent  of  educators  no  less  than  the 
teachings  of  the  church,  the  Bible,  apart  from  its 
standing  as  God's  inspired  Word,  is  the  basis  and 


1 16     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

source  of  our  best  lessons  in  character  :  hence  Bible 
teaching  will  form  the  third  line  of  effort  for  the 
school.  This  will  be  supplemented  and  illustrated 
by  lessons  from  nature  and  from  the  lives  and  work 
of  Christ's  followers  in  later  ages  and  in  the  modern 
field  of  missionary  and  social  service  ;  but  it  may  all 
be  called  Bible  teaching,  since  Bible  principles  and 
precedents  will  underlie  every  lesson.  Training  for 
service,  an  extension  of  the  work  for  character,  will 
be  our  fourth  division.  Finally,  we  must  provide 
for  self-perpetuation,  through  effort  directed  to  the 
strengthening  and  continuation  of  the  school  and  its 
work. 

What,  then,  under  these  five  heads,  ought  the  read- 
er's particular  little  Sunday  school  to  accomplish  in 
one  year?  That  question  no  authority  outside  the 
field  itself  should  presume  to  answer.  Let  the 
superintendent  himself  answer  it,  by  checking,  in 
the  list  which  follows,  every  item  that  he  feels  might 
fairly  be  debited  against  his  school ;  its  size,  equip- 
ment, force,  condition  of  educational  progress  and 
quality  of  leadership  being  duly  considered.  Let 
him  add,  as  well  he  may,  other  items  not  here  enu- 
merated. Let  all  the  items,  as  checked  and  added, 
be  noted  in  his  pocket  record,  read  and  discussed  at 
the  workers'  conference  and  made  the  background  of 
his  annual  report.  Let  him  lay  them  often  at  the  foot- 
stool of  the  Master  Superintendent  in  humble  prayer. 

A  Table  of  Results. — Bearing  in  mind  what  has 
just  been  said,  it  seems  reasonable  to  ask  that  a  rural 
Sunday  school  of  five  classes  and  about  fifty  members, 
led  by  a  consecrated,  determined  and  capable  leader, 
adequately  supported,  should  in  one  year's  time  per- 


Getting  Results  1 17 

form  the  follow iDg  services  for  its  members  and  the 
commuDity,  less  such  items  as  the  superinteiideut 
shall  feel  to  be  an  overcharge  against  his  particular 
school : 

(A)  Community  Uplift 

The  peace  kept ;  no  new  personal  or  family 
quarrels. 

Progress  in  cooperation  ;  some  family  or  individual 
reconciled  and  added  or  restored  to  the  company  of 
workers. 

Previous  community  undertakings,  if  any,  for  local 
and  outside  service  encouraged  and  kept  up. 

Some  new  or  special  enterprise  undertaken  by  the 
community  for  its  own  and  others'  good  :  the  Sunday 
school  having  had  something  to  do  with  the  move- 
ment. 

Some  particular  hindrance  to  moral  progress  shown 
up,  attacked  and  overcome. 

Gifts  made  to  at  least  four  missionary  or  benevolent 
causes,  for  work  in  communities  beyond  local  reach. 

(B)  Development  of  Christian  Character 

Freedom  of  the  community  reached  from  special 
cases  of  juvenile  and  adolescent  delinquency. 

Favorable  reports  recei^^^d  from  parents  and  school- 
teachers of  the  daily  conduct  of  the  children. 

Kegularity  and  increase  in  attendance  of  children 
at  church. 

Establishment  in  the  older  beginners  (children  of 
five)  of  right  relations  with  God  ;  as  manifested, 
among  other  ways,  in  love  for  Jesus,  appreciation  of 
God's  goodness  in  nature  and  release  from  childish 
fears.  (This  item  to  become  an  obligation  after  a 
beginners'  class  has  been  organized  and  supplied  with 
the  lessons  of  the  beginners'  course.) 

Establishment  in  the  older  primary  children  (seven 
and  eight)  of  habits  of  daily  home  prayer,  the  study 
of  Bible  texts  and  hymn  verses,  the  creditable  finish- 


ii8     Flow  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

ing  of  hand- work,  regularity  of  attendance,  reverent 
conduct,  the  exercise  of  family  graces,  and  progress 
in  personal  relations  with  God  as  revealed  in  Jesus 
Christ. 

Establishment  in  the  junior  children  of  habits  of 
daily  Bible  reading,  church  attendance  and  attention, 
regular  giving  and  lesson  study  ;  with  a  readiness  to 
take  steps  indicative  of  the  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ 
as  Savioui'. 

Public  confession  of  Christ  as  Saviour  and  evidence 
of  Christian  experience  by  intermediate  and  senior 
pupils,  to  a  number  averaging,  from  year  to  year, 
one-sixth  of  the  total  enrollment  of  such  pux^iis. 

Some  adult  conversions  and  renewals  in  grace. 

Increase,  especially  among  the  teachers  and  other 
adults,  in  the  spirit  of  willingness  to  learn. 

Some  new  recruits  for  active  service  from  among 
the  seniors  and  adults. 

Some  increase  in  the  social  virtues,  fellowship, 
sympathy,  cooperation,  loyalty  and  the  like. 

(C)  Bible  Teaching 

In  the  school  as  a  whole  : 

One  year's  training  in  worshipful  approach  to  God, 
through  the  reverent  use  of  well  planned  opening 
services,  including  Bible  verses,  song  and  prayer. 

Lessons  in  fellowship,  giving,  temperance  and  other 
elements  of  character-training,  with  appropriate  Bible 
readings,  presented  on  at  least  twenty  Sundays  of  the 
year. 

At  least  ten  lessons  or  talks  on  missions  given  fiom 
the  platform  ;  with  response  to  these  and  other  mis- 
sionary lessons  in  the  form  of  offerings  made  and 
service  rendered.  (The  lesson  is  not  taught  until  it 
has  been  expressed  by  the  pupil's  own  free  act. ) 

Thirty  Bible  verses,  preferably  in  the  form  of 
longer  passages,  and  three  standard  hymns,  memo- 
rized by  the  school  and  used  in  its  worship. 

Ten  new  and  good  hymn  tunes  learned. 


Getting  Results  119 

Two  educational  festival  programs  prepared  and 
given  by  the  school  to  the  community. 

By  the  graded  classes  : 

The  standard  graded  lessons,  including  intermediate 
lessons,  taught  regularly  in  each  class,  with  at  least 
six  months'  work  in  each  class  completed.  Some  sort 
of  response  (attention,  answers  to  simple  questions, 
interest  in  the  lesson,  home  work  attempted,  home 
work  fully  done)  secured  from  every  pupil  whose 
faculties  are  normal. 

From  one-half  the  pupils  in  intermediate  and 
lower  grades,  lesson  hand- work  secured  of  quality 
available  for  exhibition. 

All  pupils  graduating  from  one  class  or  department 
course  to  the  next  made  ready  for  the  work  of  the 
higher  course. 

By  the  senior  and  adult  classes  : 

At  least  forty  lessons  well  presented  by  regular 
teacher,  with  class  discussion  thereon. 

Eecord  of  at  least  twenty  practical  topics  that  were 
discussed  in  class  at  some  length,  several  taking  part 
and  views  freely  stated. 

Each  class  self-managed  throughout  the  year. 

Average  attendance  equal  to  at  least  one-half  the 
average  enrollment. 

These  classes  have  each,  through  committees  or 
otherwise,  conducted  one  or  more  investigations  and 
brought  in  reports  as  to  local  evils,  local  or  general 
needs,  or  opportunities  for  service,  with  class  discus- 
sions thereon  and  some  work  done  in  following  up 
the  matter.  The  township  roads,  the  condition  of 
the  church  burying  ground,  the  church  ventilation 
and  how  to  improve  it,  a  reported  "speak-easy," 
where  and  how  the  boys  spend  their  Sundays,  what 
books  our  people  are  buying  and  reading,  possibilities 
of  the  country  church,  missionary  work  in  Moslem 
lands,  the  present  condition  of  our  county  poorhouse 
— such  are  samples  of  the  lines  on  which  such  investi- 
gations and  reports  might  be  made. 


120     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

(Dj  TRAINING  Foe,  Service 

Eegular  tasks  for  the  Sauday  scliool  performed  by 
the  children  under  older  leaders. 

Newly  promoted  juniors  familiarized  with  the  use 
of  the  Bible  as  a  book. 

Definite  and  related  Bible  knowledge,  familiarity 
with  maps  and  other  helps  in  Bible  study,  and  inter- 
est in  Bible  narratives  aud  events,  imparted  to  the 
juniors :  one-fourth  of  the  \Yhole  regular  course  covered. 

Ideals  of  service  and  lieroism  for  Christ  imparted  to 
intermediates,  as  shown  in  essays  and  other  responses. 

Interest  in  selected  missionary  fields  and  workers 
imparted  to  the  pupils  generally,  as  shown  in  in- 
creased ofterings  to  missionary  causes. 

Increase  in  the  use  of  the  library  and  demand  for 
books  helpful  in  character-growth  and  training  for 
service. 

Organization  or  maijitenance  of  an  active  young 
people's  society,  with  a  year's  definite  service  along 
usual  Christian  Endeavor  or  similar  lines. 

Completion  of  a  year's  standard  teacher-training 
work  by  one  or  more  senior  or  adult  training-class 
students. 

Eesumption  of  Sunday-school  membership  and 
service  by  former  members  returned  from  college  or 
other  outside  opportunities  for  growth,  so  far  as  per- 
mitted by  conditions  of  the  stay  at  home.  (If  this 
does  not  take  place,  the  leader  should  inquire  what 
is  the  matter  with  his  school,  that  it  should  fail  to 
appeal  to  these  young  people  as  a  field  for  service.) 

At  least  one  decision  during  the  year,  by  an  under- 
graduate or  graduate  pupil,  to  dedicate  the  life  to 
some  form  of  Christian  service. 

(E)  Self-Perpetuation 

Annual  meeting  held  ;  officers  and  teachers  elected 
and  appointed  for  the  new  year. 

The  school  reorganized,  with  all  pupils  promoted 
one  grade,  except  in  the  adult  class  and  where  de- 
motion is  necessary  for  the  pupil's  good. 


Getting  Results  121 

All  members  enlisted  in  loyal  fellowship  and  serv- 
ice for  the  support  and  improvement  of  the  school. 

Former  members  kept  track  of,  and  their  loyalty 
preserved  and  expressed  in  an  annual  communication 
and  contribution. 

An  average  of  one  student  per  year  of  a  standard 
teacher- training  course  graduated  and  enlisted  in  the 
teaching  force  as  teacher,  assistant  or  substitute. 

An  average  of  oue  pupil  a  year  added  to  the  foice 
of  official  assistants. 

Each  teacher,  or  his  successor,  continued  for  the 
new  year  in  the  work  of  teaching  pupils  of  the  same 
range  of  ages  as  those  constituting  the  class  at  the 
outset  of  the  previous  year.  (Applies  to  schools  fol- 
lowing the  fixed  class  plan.) 

The  school's  rehition  maintained  with  its  larger 
denominational  and  territorial  fellowship,  through 
the  prompt  and  full  rendering  of  its  statistical  re- 
ports and  the  payments  of  its  due  and  equitable  con- 
tributions to  the  denominational  and  the  associated 
interdenominational  Sunday-school  work. 

Ideas  and  stimulus  for  better  work  received  from 
some  institute  or  convention. 

Overcoming  Difficulties. — Over  against  this  ideal 
(which,  let  it  be  repeated,  the  superintendent  is  to 
cut  down  until  it  fits  his  school  and  his  ambition), 
let  us  place  some  of  the  more  common  difficulties  re- 
ported from  the  little  schools,  and  see  what  we  are  to 
do  with  them.  Which  of  these,  brother,  applies  to 
your  field  ? 

'^  There  is  such  a  low  spiritual  tone  in  our  neigh- 
borhood.'^ 

"  We  have  so  few  that  are  willing  to  help." 

*'  We  have  to  deal  with  a  rough  element  that  would 
not  stand  for  such  work  as  you  describe." 

"  There  is  so  much  illiteracy  in  our  community 
that  we  have  to  use  teachers  who  can  barely  read 


122     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

and  write.  What  could  they  do  with  your  graded 
lessons  f ' ' 

"The  people  are  very  old-fashioned  and  set  in 
their  ways." 

"  We  are  so  split  up  with  quarrels  and  jealousy. 
If  they  would  only  pull  togelher,  we  might  have  a 
good  school." 

"  Our  roads  are  very  bad,  especially  in  winter,  and 
there  is  no  place  near  the  schoolhouse  where  horses 
can  be  sheltered  from  the  weather." 

"  Our  best  families  are  moving  away." 

"  Our  young  x^eople  leave  us." 

"This  is  a  transitory  population  hereabouts  :  we 
have  almost  a  new  school  every  year." 

"  We  have  one  or  two  faithful  workers  who  refuse 
to  adopt  the  new  ways." 

"  The  influence  of  the  homes  is  against  us." 

"Our  pastor  gives  us  very  little  help." 

"I  have  been  superintendent  here  for  twenty-three 
years,  and  I  think  I  know  how  this  school  ought  to 
be  run." 

Well,  what  shall  we  say  to  these  difficulties  1  Not 
all  of  them,  fortunately,  are  found  on  the  same  field. 
Some  are  merely  the  same  old  resistance  that  the 
apostolic  message  has  always  had  to  encounter. 
Paul  in  Corinth  had  to  face  most  of  them ;  and 
if  he  could  have  the  help  of  the  Spirit  and  of  the 
comforting  presence  of  Jesus  with  him  as  he  strug- 
gled, so  can  we.  Brethren,  the  vision  of  the  little 
Sunday  school  set  forth  in  this  book  is  nothing  but 
the  Gospel  of  our  blessed  Lord  put  into  adapted  and 
effective  educational  form.  Of  course  it  will  have  to 
cut  its  way  through  difficulties.  But  back  of  it  we 
may  through  faith  and  prayer  put  the  mighty  power 
of  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  difficulties  are  what  we 
are  here  for.     Let  us  go  forward. 


Getting  Results  123 

The  remedy  for  low  tone  is  high  standard.  Do 
not  be  afraid  of  things  different  from  what  the  people 
expect  in  a  Sunday  school.  iSome  workers  and  fol- 
lowers of  kindled  spirit  you  now  have  :  draw  these 
together  in  bonds  of  ever  closer  fellowshix)  and  en- 
thusiasm. Have  something  that  the  world  will  want, 
keep  it  pure  and  sound,  and  let  the  world  know  of  it 
through  reasonable  publicity  and  community  service. 
As  for  the  rough  element,  they  are  easier  to  reach 
and  lead  than  the  rich  and  fashionable  element,  and 
will  soon  appreciate  any  genuinely  loving  effort  that 
is  made  intelligible  to  them.  The  inertia  of  the 
''old-fashioned"  folks  is  by  no  means  confined  to 
the  rural  districts ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  to  the  com- 
munities where  little  schools  are  the  rule  that  we 
look  for  the  great  progressive  movements  that  are 
steadily  advancing  the  cause  of  democracy  and  social 
justice  in  our  land. 

In  those  special  fields  where  illiteracy  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent  prevails,  it  is  true  that  some  of  the 
graded  lesson  machinery  cannot  be  used  as  planned. 
But  illiteracy  and  stupidity  are  two  very  different 
things.  The  chance  of  finding  a  bright,  motherly, 
sensible  primary  teacher  in  such  a  neighborhood  is 
quite  as  good  as  in  the  city  field ;  and  the  love  of 
Jesus  and  of  little  children  needs  no  alphabet  to 
spell  its  lore.  Story-telling  is  one  of  the  primitive 
arts,  and  most  of  our  graded  beginners  and  pri- 
mary work  now  consists  of  stories.  Let  this  teacher 
be  given  a  young  assistant  who  can  meet  her  in  the 
home  during  the  week,  to  read  over  the  lesson  story 
and  the  Bible  references,  and  to  learn  with  her  the 
memory  text  and  song  verse.     Add  to  this  the  pic- 


124     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

tures  furnished  for  class  display,  illuslratiDg  the 
story,  and  one  or  two  simple  lessons  in  method, 
based  on  the  general  explanations  in  the  teacher's 
manual,  and  the  illiterate  primary  teacher  may 
prove  an  educational  jewel.  By  a  like  process  the 
junior  and  intermediate  teachers  can  be  brought 
along.  Let  the  class  meet  at  the  teacher's  home  to 
talk  over  the  lessons  to  come.  They  go  to  school, 
and  can  read  if  the  teacher  cannot.  In  the  young 
people's  class  let  social  life  and  class  organization 
be  the  leading  features,  with  lessons  in  practical 
Christian  service.  As  for  the  adult  class,  let  them 
once  in  a  while  visit  the  primary  class  and  hear 
again  the  gospel  stories  and  Old  Testament  narra- 
tives of  the  graded  course.  In  many  sections,  as  ex- 
perience shows,  they  thus  hear  some  of  the  most  fa- 
miliar Bible  stories  for  the  first  time. 

Quarrels  and  jealousy  are  symptoms  of  a  selfish 
community.  The  people  have  too  narrow  a  world 
to  think  about  and  be  interested  in.  Such  traits 
are  the  grown-uj)  equivalent  of  disorder  and  scufiles 
amo]]g  the  smaller  fry,  and  are  to  be  met  in  the  same 
way — by  giving  the  whole  company  something  new 
and  interesting  to  do.  What  will  interest  them  is  a 
matter  to  be  carefully  studied.  Consider  the  things 
in  which  these  people  are  rich  ;  then  find  and  pre- 
sent to  them,  in  the  most  concrete  and  api^ealing 
form,  some  class  who  in  those  same  things  are  poor. 
Have  they  fresh  air  and  sunshine,  woods  and  streams, 
freedom  and  manly  independence  ?  Tell  them  of  the 
cooped  and  enslaved  toilers  in  the  slums,  the  child- 
widows  and  caste-bound  millions  of  India,  the  lepers, 
the  sufferers  from  the  awful  ravages  of  war.     Organ- 


Getting  Results  125 

ize  first  for  service  ou  bebulf  of  some  of  these,  theu 
for  farther  study  aud  prayer  in  order  to  know  more 
of  the  conditions  and  the  gosi^el  work  now  being 
done.  How  can  jealousy  and  strife  survive,  when 
we  are  working  together  with  our  Lord! 

About  the  road  question  and  the  need  of  horse- 
sheds  or  windbreaks  to  encourage  regularity  in  all 
weathers,  little  need  here  be  said.  To  face  and  meet 
such  a  community  need  is  exactly  the  lesson  to  be 
set  in  the  forefront  of  the  school's  educational  and 
Christian  program.  Whatever  will  serve  and  bless 
the  community  in  its  daily  life,  make  living  easier 
and  life  more  worth  while,  is  an  appropriate  activity 
for  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ  and  a  worthy  accom- 
paniment of  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel. 

By  just  such  services,  together  with  a  practical 
interest  in  the  quality  of  public  school  education  and 
in  the  social  and  cultural  life  of  the  community,  can 
an  active  Sunday-school  band  of  workers  fight  the 
difficulty  of  a  vanishing  population.  These  prosper- 
ous families  and  ambitious  young  people  leave  for 
reasons.  Give  them  better  reasons  for  staying,  and 
they  will  not  go.  The  little  Sunday  school,  if  only 
as  a  matter  of  self-interest,  should  study  well  the 
modern  literature  of  country  life,  and  should  line  up 
with  the  rural  life  movement.  Invite  the  agricul- 
tural college  or  other  rural  life  workers  to  hold  an 
institute  with  you,  and  then  work  their  plans. 

In  the  great  lumber  regions  of  our  country  and  in 
mining  and  dry-farming  areas,  the  tendency  of  people 
to  camp  and  move  on  seems  irresistible.  If  the  little 
Sunday  school  finds  itself  in  such  case,  let  it  try  to 
arrange  its  studies  in  compact  three-months  unita^ 


126     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

teacliiug  what  it  cau  in  that  time  and  reorganizing 
its  force  aut'W  for  eacii  term.  The  superintendent 
will  have  to  do  much  coaching  of  new  teachers  ;  but 
how  widely  the  seeds  of  his  work  will  be  spread  ! 

The  old  teacher  who  declines  to  take  up  with  the 
new  ways  is  no  merely  rural  problem.  We  find  him 
(and  her)  everywhere.  Patience  and  love,  combined 
with  a  steady  call  for  results,  will  win.  All  judg- 
ments as  to  teachers  and  officers  should  be  objective, 
based  on  a  record  and  a  standard  which  has  or  has 
not  been  attained  ;  never  subjective,  based  on  what 
the  leader  thinks  or  feels.  If  the  superintendent  can 
say  no  more  than  that  he  does  not  like  So-and-so  as  a 
teacher,  he  should  keep  still  until  he  cau  state  his 
reasons  in  objective  form. 

The  Securing  of  Life-Decisions. — The  educational 
process  naturally  leads  the  pupil  up  to  thresholds  on 
which  he  must  decide  some  momentous  issue.  The 
teaching  on  temperance,  for  instance,  leads  to  the 
settlement  of  the  pupil's  attitude  for  life  as  to  the  use 
of  intoxicants  and  other  indulgences.  When  this 
leading  is  wisely  planned  and  carried  out,  results  in 
character-formation  are  possible  that  otherwise  it 
would  be  vain  to  look  for. 

The  principle  governing  the  use  of  Promotion  Day  as 
a  time  for  securing  necessary  separations  of  pupils  and 
teachers  will  apply  here.  By  appointing  a  day  for 
the  consideration  of  our  subject  and  heightening  the 
feelings  appropriate  to  the  day,  we  open  the  way  to 
the  doing  on  that  day  of  unusual  deeds.  Temperance 
Day,  therefore,  should  not  come  too  often  to  lose  its 
force  as  an  occasion.  It  should  be  preceded  by  one 
or  two  Sundays  of  desk  instruction  on  the  evils  of 


Getting  Results  127 

iDtemperauce,  i^ersoual  aud  uationaL  Good  pledge- 
cards  should  be  ready  and  iu  the  teachers'  hands. 
After  a  short  but  earnest  program  of  appropriate 
recitations,  Bible  reading  and  prayer,  let  the  temper- 
ance decisions  be  called  for,  to  be  expressed  by  taking 
the  card  and  either  signing  it  or  carrying  it  home  for 
signature  with  the  parents'  approval.  Decisions 
quietly  reached  at  home  and  then  bravely  announced 
in  Sunday  school  are  worth  far  more  than  those  se- 
cured under  the  spur  of  an  insistent  appeal. 

Once  made,  the  decision  should  be  followed  up.  A 
temperance  wall  roll  should  be  made  or  purchased 
and  the  name  of  each  signer  legibly  written  thereon. 
This  should  be  hung  where  all  can  see  and  read  the 
names.  On  the  next  temperance  occasion  there 
should  be  new  names  to  add.  The  signers  should  be 
brought  together  once  or  oftener,  and  given  a  talk, 
with  discussion,  on  how  to  keep  the  pledge,  at  home, 
in  company,  on  visits  and  at  college  or  school.  A 
Band  of  Hope,  even  if  run  only  for  a  year  or  two, 
will  serve  to  clinch  into  lifelong  conviction  senti- 
ments that  otherwise  might  yield  to  the  stress  of 
temptation. 

On  precisely  this  plan  the  quest  for  decisions  may 
be  made  on  the  fundamental  issue  of  the  pupil's  per- 
sonal relation  to  Jesus  Christ  as  Lord  and  Saviour. 
In  this  case  all  the  graded  teaching  will  lead  up  to 
and  pave  the  way  for  the  general  appeal.  Even  so, 
however,  there  should  be  desk  preparation  for  several 
Sundays,  with  one  or  more  gatherings  of  the  teachers 
and  older  pupils  for  prayer.  Every  decision  for 
Christ  that  can  be  gained  during  these  preliminary 
days  should  be  welcomed,  never  held  off.     On  the 


128     How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School 

day  appointed  have  little  talking  and  exhortation  : 
make  it  rather  a  businesslike  time  for  settling  the 
matter  of  our  relation  to  God  and  to  Jesus  Christ  His 
Son.  The  decisions  can  be  announced  in  any  way 
that  the  religious  customs  of  the  church  or  the  com- 
munity call  for ;  but  they  should  be  recorded  with  care. 
Every  one  thus  confessing  Christ  will  of  course  be 
welcomed  into  the  kingdom  and  helped  to  walk  in 
the  Christian  life  and  unite  himself  with  others  in 
practical  Christian  fellowship,  utterance  and  work. 

Less  visible,  and  less  often  thought  of,  but  equally 
important  in  the  progress  of  Christ's  kingdom,  are 
the  decisions  for  life-service  made  by  the  young  men 
and  women  of  eighteen  to  twenty-four.  If  not  already 
professing  Christians,  these  decisions  may  coincide 
with  conversion  ;  but  many  who  found  Christ  in 
childhood  or  early  youth  have  a  new  and  deeper  ex- 
perience later  ;  and  for  this  the  thoughtful  senior 
teacher  will  earnestly  work  and  pray.  All  the  hero- 
teaching  and  the  biographical,  historical  and  social 
studies  of  the  graded  course  point  in  the  direction  of 
lives  dedicated  wholly  to  God  and  devoted  to  the 
work  of  the  kingdom,  whether  in  ordinary  vocations 
or  in  the  ministry  and  other  special  Christian  call- 
ings. The  world  has  been  taught  by  experience  to 
look  to  the  little  Sunday  schools  in  the  rural  fields 
for  some  of  its  ablest  and  most  deeply  consecrated 
leaders.  In  raising  up  and  fitting  for  service  such 
leaders,  the  Sunday  school  described  in  these  pages 
may  hope,  under  God,  to  make  itself  a  potent  factor 
in  the  progress  of  the  kingdom. 

2  PRINTKI)    IN    THE    UNITED    STATES    OF   AMERICA 


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